Man, 76, accused of sexually assaulting child at wife's day care center

SANTA FE, TX (KTRK) -- Thomas Joseph Perthuis was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child this week. Galveston County Sheriff investigators say the 76-year-old man allegedly had inappropriate contact with a young girl who had been staying at his home after school.

Investigators say Perthuis' wife ran a child care center at the couple's home on the 4500 block of Tower Road in the Sante Fe area of Galveston County.

The alleged sex assault was reported to Galveston County Sheriff's Office on February 21. Investigators say the four-year-old victim's mother and a counselor initially reported the incident to Santa Fe ISD Police.

Perthuis allegedly checked himself into a hospital when the incident was first brought to his attention. The accused man was arrested on Wednesday, when deputies were able to interview him about the incident.

Eyewitness News learned Perthuis' wife was allegedly running an illegal child care operation. A spokeswoman with the Department of Child Care Licensing says the agency determined the was not regulated by the state. The agency has asked Perthuis' wife to immediately stop doing business as child care center. The investigation into the home-based child care operation is ongoing.

Thomas J. Perthuis was placed in Galveston County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

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