http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6703970.html
Emma suspect now accused of raping her
By TERRI LANGFORD Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Lucas Coe, the 27-year-old Magnolia man accused of injury to a child in the death of 4-year-old Emma Thompson, now faces a new charge: that he also raped the young girl before her death in June.
Coe and Emma's mother, registered nurse Abigail Young, were arrested and charged with serious bodily injury to a child after the girl's June 27 death. At the time, Emma had a skull fracture, vaginal tearing and more than 80 bruises covering her body. She died two weeks after Texas Child Protective Services discovered the girl had tested positive for genital herpes.
On Oct. 29, Harris County grand jurors returned an indictment against Coe, accusing him of Emma's sexual assault. If convicted, he would face a minimum of 25 years in prison because the victim was under the age of 6.
The indictment comes about a month after the Harris County District Attorney's Office secured a sample of Coe's blood. It is not known if DNA from the blood ties Coe to the girl or whether prosecutors are using other evidence to support the indictment.
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Coe's attorney says there is no evidence that connects his client to the sexual assault.
I saw nothing in the file that would indicate how he could have perpetuated the crime he was indicted for, said Bert Steinmann, Coe's attorney. I am clueless as to how they are connecting him with committing the sexual assault.
Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors, declined to comment on the case.
Young, Coe's girlfriend, also has genital herpes, according to the 33-year-old's attorney, Colin Amann.
She does not know where she got it, he said. She may have gotten it from Emma.
Neither Amann nor Coe's attorney would say whether Coe also has genital herpes, though Steinmann said medical records from previous doctors don't indicate that he does.
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http://www.brenhambanner.com/articles/2009/11/05/news/news02.txt
Suspect in girls death accused of raping her
Published:
Thursday, November 5, 2009 11:23 AM CST
A Magnolia man already in jail in connection with the death of a 4-year-old girl is now being accused of raping the child.
Lucas Coe, 27, was indicted on the charge Oct. 29 by a Harris County grand jury, The Houston Chronicle reported today.
Coe in August was charged with injury to a child in the death of Emma Thompson last June 27.
Thompsons mother, Abigail Young, was also indicted on the same charge. Young is a Brenham native and Coe was her former boyfriend.
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