The mother of a 12-year-old girl who was the alleged victim of child molesting is speaking out in defense of the accuser.

Jennifer, whose last name we are not revealing to protect her daughter, says the felony charges filed against Michael Ray Long, 35, of Warsaw, are not justified.

“It didn’t happen as the police said,” she told StaceyPageOnline.com exclusively. “There was no sexual intent. (Long) made some bad choices, but this was not what it’s been blown up to be.”

Long was arrested Tuesday following an investigation by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. He is currently charged with class C felony child molesting and class D felony sexual battery. (See story)

Jennifer said that her daughter was not victimized by Long, but instead was a participant in innocent play. “I guess they can charge someone for punching someone in the butt, but it was not sexual. My daughter just does that if she likes you. She plays around like that and he did it back.”

According to a probable cause affidavit released by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation began in December when police were told by a relative of Long’s that he was allegedly present while a 13-year-old boy was having sexual intercourse with the 12-year-old girl.

During police questioning, as noted in the probable cause affidavit, the girl told police she and Long would also engage in activity that “made her feel uncomfortable”. That activity included “wrestling” and Long allegedly poking her and touching her private areas.

But Jennifer said even that information is not entirely accurate. “They (police) were telling her (the wrestling) was not normal activity for a man and child and it started to confuse her,” she explained. “I know my daughter and (Long) did not touch her in a sexual manner.”

Initially, Jennifer said she believed the accusations against Long, but once she calmed down and looked at all of the facts, she came to a different conclusion. “At the police station my daughter admitted to everything else including sending (nude) photos so why would she not tell that? She doesn’t know the laws.”

Further, Jennifer said Long actually brought her daughter home one night simply because he caught the 13-year-old boy and the girl kissing. “When he found out about the photos he broke the phone and, I have an adult witness who said he told (my daughter) he was going to have a serious talk with her mom and dad about it.

Jennifer is also upset with a local media report that seemingly implied she has her daughter on birth control. “That is not true!” she insisted. “Yes, I learned some things about my daughter that will be dealt with and she will be punished, but this (alleged molestation) needs to be dealt with first. (Long) made a bad decision but he never thought it would be taken as sexual because it wasn’t.

“My daughter is my princess and I didn’t expect some of her behavior, and  I know a normal human being would hate (Long), but I also realized there’s no evidence and my daughter wasn’t a victim,” she added.

Jennifer concluded, “This is my daughter and no one should touch my child, but I cannot live with myself if someone goes to prison for something that I realize there is no evidence for. I can’t let him go down for that.”