Girl deemed "available" as witness for Purdy trial

A 5-year-old girl has been deemed “available” to testify in an upcoming trial against a Hoyt resident accused of sexual crimes involving the girl when she was three years old, Jackson County District Court Judge Norbert Marek said on Thursday.

Marek also continued to reserve judgment on a motion filed on behalf of Theodore J. Purdy III, 27, to suppress statements reportedly made by Purdy while in law enforcement custody after the alleged crimes occurred on the basis that those statements were “coerced.”

Purdy, who has been charged with rape and aggravated indecent liberties with a child stemming from allegations of an incident or incidents with the girl that reportedly occurred between Sept. 1, 2016, and Oct. 14, 2016, is scheduled to go to trial starting Tuesday, Feb. 27. He is currently free on bond.

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