Teen arrested on child molesting charge

OOLITIC – A Bedford teen was arrested Thursday on a charge of child molesting.

Nickkiah Staggs

Oolitic Town Marshals arrested 19-year-old Nickkiah Staggs, of 132 Blue Spring Cabin Circle.

According to a probable cause affidavit, on March 1, a woman came to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department to report child molestation that occurred at a home in Oolitic.

The Department of Child Services was alerted and interviews were set up a Suzie’s Place, a child advocate center.

The child told investigators Staggs had touched her inappropriately for years. She was around 8-years-old when the first incident happened. The child told investigators Staggs “would beg, beg and beg, me to do stuff that I didn’t wanna do. It got to the point where he would forcefully make me do it…like watch him and touch him.”

The girl said Staggs would give her gifts and money afterwards.

The girl told investigators he had stopped.

The girl said, “Quite a while back. Umm….probably a year ago. He quit when he was eighteen.” She told investigators she was 10 going on 11 when the incidents stopped.