By Jeff Lehr

jlehr@joplinglobe.com

NEOSHO, Mo. — A rural Seneca man was charged Friday with sexual abuse of a 4-year-old boy, who this week was taken to a hospital after complaining of an injury.

The Newton County prosecutor’s office filed a charge of first-degree statutory sodomy against Relinx C.G. Clinton, 21, following an investigation by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department.

A probable-cause affidavit filed by Detective Mike Barnett states that a sheriff’s deputy received a call on Tuesday reporting sexual abuse of the boy. But the deputy was unable to locate the boy that day and informed the detective of the matter.

Barnett located the child at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin the next day, and learned that he had an injury consistent with sexual abuse, according to the affidavit. The mother was asked to take the boy to the Children’s Center in Joplin for a forensic exam and interview.

During the interview, authorities say, the boy said that Clinton had sexually abused him. The boy told investigators that Clinton promised to get him ice cream the next day, the affidavit states.

The boy reportedly complained about his injury to his mother when she was giving him a bath and told her how he had been hurt. The affidavit states that the mother spoke with Clinton about the matter the next day and decided to take her son to the hospital.