Janitor Admits Molesting 2 Girls, Officials Say

SACRAMENTO — Prosecutors say a deaf church janitor charged with kidnaping three young girls, keeping one under a church as long as six weeks, has admitted to police that he sexually molested two of the girls.

But a police detective who interviewed the girls after their rescue said in a sworn statement that the youngsters denied they were molested by Kenneth Alvin Michel.

Confession Challeged

And a defense attorney appointed to represent Michel challenged the alleged confession, saying she has not seen such a statement.

Even if there is one, Public Defender Christie Warren said, it may be invalid because Michel’s hearing and speech are severely impaired, making communication difficult.

Michel, 32, has been charged with three counts of kidnaping. Prosecutors have said they must wade through about 10,000 pages of police reports before deciding whether to file additional charges.

Michel was arrested Monday after a witness reported seeing him abduct a 6-year-old girl, who managed to escape a few minutes later. Police traced Michel’s car to an Elk Grove church where he worked.

There they found a 5-year-old girl tied and gagged in the car trunk and a 4-year-old hidden away in a space far under the church altar.

Police say 4-year-old Candi Talarico may have been kept under the church since her June 4 kidnaping. The 5-year-old, Muey Han Saefong, was kidnaped Monday.

Five-Page Statement

The molestation allegations are contained in a five-page sworn statement that prosecutors filed in Sacramento Municipal Court in an attempt to revoke Michel’s $1-million bail.

An affidavit by Police Detective Les Murphy said Michel confessed after his arrest to police. But the same affidavit said Candi and Muey told police they were not subjected to any sex acts.

Police and district attorney officials said they still have not conducted extensive interviews with the girls out of concern for the trauma they have suffered.