BC couple arrested in child molestation case

Boulder Creek’s Ronald Eugene McDougal, 55, was arrested last week on suspicion that he molested a young girl who lived with him and his wife.
McDougal was arrested Jan. 4 in connection with more than 20 crimes related to his suspected abuse of the child. He pleaded not guilty to the charges Jan. 7.
The charges stem from a series of acts over a period of several months, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office. McDougal could be sent to prison for the rest of his life if he is convicted, according to the district attorney’s office.
Police declined to reveal the age of the child.
His wife, Faith McDougal, 57, was arrested Jan. 7 for reportedly dissuading the girl from reporting the suspected abuse. She is accused of felony counts of witness intimidation and child endangerment.
Upon her arrest, officers reported that Faith McDougal appeared intoxicated, and she tested positive for methamphetamine use.
Sgt. Todd Liberty of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said the victim said she told Faith McDougal about the molestation five months ago, but the woman dissuaded the girl from reporting the abuse.
“She encouraged the child not to say anything and assisted in the covering up of the crime,” Liberty said.
Faith McDougal is not charged with any sexually based offenses.
The reported crimes came to light last week, when the child told a teacher at school about the abuse, which sparked the investigation, Liberty said.
“It was a quick but thorough investigation,” Liberty said. “There was a child potentially in danger.”
The charges against Ronald McDougal are supported by multiple witnesses and by physical evidence obtained by sheriff’s investigators, the district attorney’s office noted.
The McDougals are held in Santa Cruz County Jail. His bail is set at $100,000, while hers is $30,000.
A preliminary hearing for the couple is scheduled for Feb. 22. Neither has a criminal history.