Benton woman faces statutory sodomy and molestation charges

BENTON, Mo. -- A Benton woman is facing seven possible felony convictions after being charged Monday with three counts of statutory sodomy and four counts of child molestation for allegedly inappropriately touching a boy younger than 12 and a 10-year-old girl.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Scott County detective Jeff Schmitt, Kyla R. Miller, 22, allegedly molested a boy up to two months ago by touching him more than 50 times.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Miller wasn't in police custody Tuesday, but was taken into custody Wednesday morning.

In a March 15 interview with officials from the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence, the boy said Miller told him not to tell anyone about the touching and that she didn't mean to do it.

The boy also told NASV advocates and police officers that the female victim saw Miller perform these acts on him.

During a March 23 interview, the girl told a team from NASV that Miller would touch her when she walked by.

The touching was always "skin on clothes," according to the affidavit, but the girl told police she told Miller to stop and slapped her hand away.

The 10-year-old added that her mother saw Miller touch her and would also tell Miller to stop and to leave her residence.

The victim also told officers she thought Miller was using drugs.

Miller was being held Wednesday morning in the Scott County Jail on a $15,000 bond and has no court date set at this time.

Miller was convicted in Scott County of operating a vehicle without a license in 2009 and was convicted of making a false report in Cape Girardeau County in 2007.

ehevern@semissourian.com

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