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Ex-Girard man indicted in rape of his daughter
NEW PHILADELPHIA
A former Girard man accused of repeatedly raping his young daughter while living in the area is being held without bond in Tuscarawas County.
The Tuscarawas County grand jury on Monday indicted Timothy M. Blue, 40, of Coral Key Drive Southeast, New Philadelphia, on felony counts of rape, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition and multiple counts of possessing child pornography.
The girl’s mother, who lives in Mahoning County and whom The Vindicator has chosen not to identify, said Blue abused the girl between 2011 – when she was just 7 years old and when Blue lived in Girard – and 2019, after Blue had moved to New Philadelphia.
The girl’s mother said she had a “very brief” relationship with Blue 15 years ago, but Blue remained out of contact until 2010, when he reached out to the girl’s mother and became “consistently” involved in the girl’s life.
The girl’s mother said she had long suspected Blue was sexually abusing their child, but investigations by Children Services agencies in Trumbull and Mahoning counties in 2011 and 2017 didn’t substantiate her claims.
At that time, the girl denied being abused.
“She was threatened by [Blue] and his friend for years. If she said anything, they ‘would kill her,’” the mother said.
The girl, now 15, came forward about the abuse in April, her mother said. Though the mother first reported the abuse to a local police department, the charges were deferred to New Philadelphia authorities, who obtained a search warrant and arrested Blue at his home that same day.
The girl led investigators to Blue’s devices containing the sexually oriented media and identified herself in them, her mother said.
“She seems like she has a sense of relief. She wants people to know. She feels that there are other victims, and she just wants to help other people. She feels like talking about it is helping her,” the girl’s mother said.
New Philadelphia police detective Shawn Nelson told a local radio station Blue may have other victims.
The girl’s mother claims Blue was heavily involved in the youth department at a Girard church.
The pastor of that church, however, claimed Blue has not recently been involved in the church.
Blue has also lived in Boardman, records show.
New Philadelphia Municipal Court in May issued a protection order keeping Blue away from the girl, records show.
Court documents provided by the girl’s mother show Judge John Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court in 2015 also issued a civil protection order for a sexually oriented offense on behalf of two Boardman girls, then 15, who lived near Blue.
Mahoning County Children Services’ investigation into their claims did not result in charges.
A New Philadelphia municipal judge in April handed Blue a $1 million bond, but that bond was later revoked.
Blue remains in the Tuscarawas County jail.