The Iowa Department of Transportation reports the right lane of westbound I-80 at the 112 mile marker (Racoon River near Van Meter/Desoto) has been closed by the Iowa State Patrol. Troopers continue to monitor the rising waters in that area and will make further closures if need be. Drivers need to use caution in that area or plan an alternative route.
As Council Bluffs Police search for the suspect in sexual assault of a child, they have arrested the victim’s mother. The Daily NonPareil reports 42-year old Marta Zaporowska was arrested Wednesday morning for neglect of a dependent person, a class C felony. She remains in custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail on $10,000 bond.
According to court documents, Zaporowska’s daughter, who is under the age of 12, was allegedly sexually assaulted by Zaporowska’s boyfriend, Charles McNeal. Despite issuance of an arrest warrant charging four counts of second-degree sexual abuse, McNeal remains at large.
On May 15, the daughter told an Omaha-based child protection agency that McNeal, for more than a year, sexually assaulted her at several locations, including the Featherstone Apartments in Council Bluffs and at a residence in Anderson in Fremont County. The alleged assaults started when the girl was in third grade and living at the Indian Hills Terrace Apartments in Omaha.
On June 12, authorities told Zaporowska that McNeal could have no contact with the victim. When Council Bluffs police learned Zaporowska left the victim with McNeal, court documents said, Zaporowska told police she had nowhere else to leave her two children when she went to work. Police informed McNeal on June 17th that he was named in an arrest warrant charging four counts of second-degree sexual assault.
He allegedly told police at that time that he was not moving and that they could come and arrest him, though he has yet to be arrested on the charges. Court documents indicated McNeal had mentioned a relocation to Kansas City in previous conversations with child protection and law enforcement officials.
McNeal, who denied the sexual assault claims, also told authorities that he has cancer and takes a lot of medication to control the illness. He uses marijuana to help with his appetite, he said. According to court documents, he told authorities that if he tried to assault the victim, she would hit him because she was a strong girl.
Police say McNeal originally agreed to take a polygraph test but has since backed off as he looks to hire a lawyer. According to court documents, McNeal said he believes the victim may be lying to avoid relocation to Sidney.