Charge upgraded to molestation in Valpo sleepover case; accused blames alcohol

Aug. 3--VALPARAISO -- A Valparaiso man blamed his alcohol consumption for allegations that he molested an underage girl taking part in a sleepover last week at his house.

Christian Gonzalez, 30, admitted to kissing the girl and placing his hand on her hip, but said he did not remember trying to remove her shirt.

"She might not be making it up," he told investigators, adding that he forgets things when he drinks alcohol.

"I must have blacked out," he reportedly told police. "I must have been drunk, bro."

The Porter County prosecutor's office upgraded charges against Gonzalez to felony child molesting and battery.

The girl, whose age was not released, called home crying sometime late Tuesday night into Wednesday saying she wanted to come home, police said. When her mother picked her up, the girl revealed Gonzalez came on to her sexually.

The girl said she had been in the kitchen at Gonzalez's home making popcorn with a friend when Gonzalez entered the room, police said. After the other juvenile left the room to go back to where they were watching movies, the girl said Gonzalez told her to hang on and then grabbed her in a hug and kissed her on the lips.

He reportedly asked, "Do you like that?" before grabbing the lower part of her shirt and attempting to pull it up, police said.

She told an investigator "that Christian inserted his tongue in her mouth during the kiss and that she could taste the beer on Christian's breath," according to a charging document. "She added that Christian told her not to tell anyone as he would get in trouble."

Gonzalez admitted to giving the girl "a kind of side hug and a small kiss on her left cheek," police said. He said he did so, "but only as a sign of compassion because she was upset about family problems."

Gonzalez denied touching the girl inappropriately, according to police.

He told police he drank four beers and some mixed drinks on the night in question.

The girl said Gonzalez had touched her hip and leg area earlier in the evening and allowed her to keep a $20 bill she had used as part of a magic trick, police said.

"Keep that and wait until (second juvenile) goes to bed," Gonzalez reportedly told the alleged victim.

Police said the girl was crying and unable to talk at times while telling her story.

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