WATERVILLE, Maine — A Craigslist ad posted by someone interested in giving young children baths led police to a Sidney man who’s accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl he was baby-sitting and recording the act on his cellphone.
Eric Bard, 24, of Sidney was ordered held on $100,000 bail during an initial court appearance by video at Waterville District Court on Monday, three days after his arrest.
The Kennebec Journal reports that a search warrant executed on Bard’s home yielded a memory card with images of the alleged abuse, which police say occurred between September and March.
Police found and interviewed the victim, who told investigators that Bard touched her, went in the shower with her and took photos of her, Tremblay said. Cellphone videos of some of the sexual abuse were found on the memory card, Tremblay’s affidavit says.
Bard was charged with gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact and sexual exploitation of a minor under 12. If he makes bail, he is barred from having contact with the alleged victim, her mother and any child under age 18. He also is barred from using the Internet and computers.
Bard remained at the Kennebec County Jail on Monday. There was no paperwork available indicating whether Bard had a lawyer, a jail official said. He was a student at Mid-Maine Technical Center and a 2008 graduate of Messalonskee High School in Oakland, the newspaper said.
Sick SOB!!
My word, what is wrong with these people!?
How could someone possibly think this behavior is okay? well there goes my breakfast
It seems like every day a story is posted of an atrocity against a child. Wonder how long before this guy gets some slap on the wrist jail sentence just like the guy yesterday? When are mothers going to stop serving their young daughters up on a plate to these guys? Obviously Maine is full of animals just waiting to violate and ruin children’s lives so wake up! It is your duty to protect your children no matter what. I don’t care what your story is either, there are plently of drug addicts out there that manage to keep their children safe. The judicial system also needs to start imposing life in prison with no chance of parole for these monsters. They CANNOT be rehabilitated.
Does this guy look like a problem waiting to happen or is it my immagination?
I think you imagine him looking like a problem because you read the article.
Its not just Maine thats full of these animals. Its the world, obviously. People have been having sexual relations with children since people and children existed. Its never going to change. I dont think its right, but it certainly isnt going to change. Doesnt matter how many people you arrest or imprison. There is no chance of parole in the state considering they did away with that in the late 70’s. As far as rehabilitation is concerned, Id say thats a very generalize statement. These people obviously have something going on upstairs, whatever that is needs to be accessed and considered before we collective as a society say “There is no hope.” I think people like to demonize acts and people they find morally questionable, with no regard to how those people got that way. Its like the really depressed kid who wants to die. No-one cares about why he is depressed, only that he is… Im not defending people who commit sexual crimes, as someone who’s spent some time inside Id be the first to tell you that I will never quarter nor express compassion for people who harm children, but I do believe people need to understand that this kind of behavior has been happening forever. Its clearly a part of our species. Other animals exhibit similar tendencies, such as cats who birth a litter of kittens then reproduce with their siblings. It happens all the time. Perhaps we should look at this from an evolutionary, scientific perspective and try to determine why these things happen, rather then simply concerning ourselves with that fact that they do happen and how to punish those responsible. Perhaps we should consider ways to prevent the problem aside from legislation, which clearly isn’t working. You touch or harm a child, you definitely should be punished, but I dont know about life in prison an I dont know that these people are any less human then you or I. Very different, clearly, in ways I find objectionable, but not less human.
Never allow a teen/preteen boy to babysit your children
I hope you don’t actually believe this.
Number 1, this dude was 22, and number 2, not all teenage boys would molest a 4 year old girl. I babysat for my neighbors kids and for my coaches kids all the time when I was a young lad. Made money and learned responsibility.
So you are saying if you have a young child who is a boy, he is destined to become untrustworthy with children.
that is ridiculous, not all young men are destined to molest kids if left alone with them, good grief
Indeed! But why stop there, why not a teen/preteen girl as well? Once that problem is sorted out, lets pay old ladies who have no kids to babysit our kids and then when the old ladies are not around and there’s no middle aged ladies because we refused to let young ones learn, I guess we’ll just have to learn to take care of our own children, which, is what people should be doing anyway. Don’t have kids if you cant take care of them 100% of the time. Simple.
Maybe it’s time for the people of Maine to demand Mandatory minimum sentence on some of these crimes.
” If he makes bail”, the law should be changed to keep these “people” locked up until their trial. Protect children.
If this picture is an accurate representation of his typical look/affect, I wouldn’t let him near kids. He looks stoned.
How does being stoned have anything to do with a persons ability to be a positive influence on children?
Lobsters eat decomposing bodies right?
Time for a “penectomy” on this disgusting pig…….can almost be assured he was molested as a child as well……so sad and sick
I am pleased with the $100k bail, but if he manages to post it, how exactly do they plan to enforce his ban on using the Internet and computers? He could go to any public library and use the Internet…
Why oh why must these things happen to sweet little ones ? And this guy was so proud of himself he even filmed it ! I am gonna walk away now or I may end up getting banned if I say what I want to say.
I dont think he filmed it because he was proud. I doubt thats it, dont often find pride in the minds of those who have no concept of reality. If I had to guess Id say the most logical answer is that he filmed it as a keepsake. Oft times serial rapists and killers, keep tokens from their victims. The reason why they do it is a different as the people who commit the acts themselves.
Yeah, I know, was just making an off the cuff statement about what a sick individual this guy is. I just get tired of all this stuff some days. This poor little baby has such a long road ahead of her now.
Fair trial, then a fair hanging!! I’ll bring the rope!! Hope he gets what he deserves by Bubba in the hooscow!!!
Looking at his picture, I think the child’s parents should be charged with letting this happen. Because if they didn’t have a clue this guy had issues, they had to have been blind and suffering from some kind of mental defect… All I can say to this guy is, “good luck in prison”……
Too many sick individuals these days.. I am so happy that they have the stupidity, to record the acts, and save them so they can get caught though.. Now he has recorded proof of this, he better not get a slap on the wrist, he should hang by his testicles till his time is served, then they should castrate the fool for ruining the young persons life..
After 18 a parent of a person with a mental illness no longer has any rights to medical information or input if the kid doesn’t want to include them. Who’s to say the parents didn’t get help along the way — the system fails kids when they turn 18 and have a mental illness, they get lost. While they are in school they have it all — therapy, people to take them out and spend time with them 1-1, structure, caseworkers, etc… When they graduate it all ends.
I’m by no means saying what this very sick person did was right in anyones world. I was simply responding to John Doe’s comment about the parents being charged…this MAN was 22 years old — no longer under his parents authority and probably didn’t want their help. To blame the parents for every ADULT decision someone makes is foolish — noone knows how much the parents may or may not have fought for help for their kid.
That being said this man should be banned from civilization for the rest of his life — what he did was beyond belief to me.
I think John Doe meant that the parents of the victim should be punished.
The little bastard should be hung, castrated, and whatever other cruel punishment that is deemed necessary!!! I am truly surprised, with how the justice system works, that this person was not arrested and then released on PR to roam free on the streets!!
Jeeesh. I hope that you never sit in a judge’s chair. Lets just kill and destroy everyone who does something you find disagreeable, with no thoughts otherwise as to different solutions to the problem… What he did isn’t right, in my opinion and he needs to suffer the consequences no doubt, but I question your methods and haste to just absolutely obliterate him. I dont see how your act of cruelty, violence and supreme judgement is any more agreeable then his acts of sexual abuse. Either way, both acts are in essence the same. He should be punished. Not sure he should be treated cruelly, however. It seems you are slightly confused. You are clearly condemning him for being cruel (by sexually abusing a child) but then you advocate the same level of cruelty you have previously said was unacceptable. Whether you touch a child or cut off a man’s junk, either way, you are being cruel as you are severely impacting said persons ability to live happily and in accordance with their own desires. Neither of you are correct in your thoughts and actions an I’ll tell you why: There is no such thing as social morality. Read moar philosophy, please.
And I can almost guarantee that you would be saying the exact same thing you just stated if it were your child…am I correct?? I bet you that if you were in this little child’s parents shoes…you would be thinking along the same lines as I was…cause I can damn well tell you that if it were my child that he had done this to…his behind best stay in jail cause if not…I would surely get revenge on the freak!!! Do you realize that this little child has to live with this for the rest of their life?? Do you know how much damage this type of act does to a person?? It affects you your whole life!!! Yes, this child may be young, but you would be surprised to know how much little children can remember when they are young…and something of this matter is not going to be forgotten too soon!!! You sir..are a piece of work!! :)
If it was my kid, well, lets just say he’d have a very long, pain filled life. I wouldnt hang him, as you said, because us real sadists know that death is not a punishment. That being said, did he do this to your children? Have your children ever been sexual abused, or have you? Calm down, mom. I understand why you are upset. Your maternal instincts are strong, as they should be. I commend you. But really, take a ‘lude and chill a bit. Just a bit. Stay mad, cause anger is useful, but not blinded with rage. Simmer… I said he should be punished at least twice. I clearly am not defending him. I dont really know a whole lot about sexual abuse as I dont intend on abusing anyone and nor have I been abused so it really isnt my business, but I’m not really sure how much a 4 year old is going to remember, honestly. I think a lot of the time when people are like “I was a victim of sexual abuse when I was (a very young age)” they are just telling people what they are told. What do you remember of your childhood prior to 5 years of age? What do you remember because of what people have told you? Two different things. Sexual abuse of a child is a terrible thing no doubt, but its made worse because of the hysteria that it creates. The hysteria is as much to blame for the actual damage to a person as the abuse itself, Id wager…. You mom, are also a piece of work. Perhaps a good piece of work, at heart, clearly, but I still feel that despite your obvious dedication to your family you are still failing to see my point, here. Which was, again: Cruelty is cruelty, no matter how your boil it down or flavor it up. No matter the cause, being cruel is being cruel. Violence begets violence and hatred feeds hatred. One act is no more vile then the other, at its very core…. Id strongly urge you to be cautious and protect your children, Id urge you to educate yourself and do whatever you can to limit the exposure your children have to the harshness of the world, at least for awhile. However, I do not encourage you to subject yourself to things which you need not concern yourself with. Until sexual abuse happens to you and yours, it really has little effect on your life. It seems you have forgotten such things…. and as far as me being a piece of work… Well, you are correct, just not in the way in which you intended it. Good day to you.
Really?Would YOU let this man babysit YOUR 4 year old????
sad to say but this guy will walk away from this crime unless the child is put through HXLL with repeated questioning, humiliation (she will feel because of it), facing the accused, and scared to death under testifying and cross examination. Protocal is for the child to testify to a law enforcment officer who is specially trained for this type of a crime. The officer then reports findings and charges are or are not filed. If her parents chose not to make her do all these things than he will walk. I do not understand why a child has to be put through this HXLL! It should be enough to have had the child testify the assault to the parent and a trained officer, plus there is the video he filmed and photos as proof. Video testification for the victum would be a good start.
Testimony. I don’t believe “testification” is a word..
thank you, sounded good :)
In this case, I would say having the child involved at all is unneeded, a waste of time and money as well as potentially more damaging to the child. They have physical evidence. Videos and whatever. What else do they need? Who cares about what information they could get from the very young child? Firstly, its not important. It would be important if there was no evidence and the child was older. This is neither the case nor the situation. Secondly, how much solid information are you really going to get from a 4 year old?
I’ve never been on craigslist mainly because of all the bad things I’ve heard and read about. But seriously, to advertise or list on there that you enjoy bathing with children?! Really?! I wonder how many people read it and thought it was a ‘joke’? Is this guy so full of himself or just really dumb, to think that his ad wouldn’t get him in a mess?
What the hell.! What is wrong with some people? Seem
Like everything is going to hell in a hand basket! Scary
A Craigslist ad posted by someone interested in giving young children baths, really? someone answered this ad????
Apparently someone did. Apparently someone about as smart as the someone who posted the add. The world of full of smart people.
Yes-there ought to have been something in this article about the responsibility the parents had in not placing their child in danger.
I can only guess that there is more to this story than what we have read here.
Why don’t we immediately deport him to Iran…. They have swift punishment for garbage like this…
just looking at his photo tells a lot no remorse he should be
castrated, what scares me the most wheres his mind set in this you have
to be one sick SOB to even go there ..seems like this type of crime is
on the rise as well as knife play and robberies the economy is in a rut
thanks to obama
however this type of crime is just sick if this happened to my kid well lets just say he would wish he was dead