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Eglin, left, and Eglin
March 19, Beaumont Police Department (BPD) Special Crimes detectives obtained arrest warrants for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and three counts of indecency with a child for 51-year-old Troy Fountain Howard and 41-year-old Patricia Ann Eglin. According to police, Howard, a registered sex offender, is accused of sexually assaulting young males between the ages of 7 and 10; Eglin, a caregiver for the children, allowed Howard access to the victims even after they told her of the assaults.
BPD reports that, on Jan. 8, the department received a report of the sexual abuse of three male children between the ages of 7 and 10 that had occurred at a residence in the 1300 block of Live Oak, not the children’s residence. In February, an additional report of sexual abuse of another male child, 9 years old, also having occurred at the same location.
BPD reported that Eglin was routinely babysitting, including overnight, up to 12 different children at her residence on Live Oak, while allowing Howard, who she knew to be a registered sex offender, to live at the residence and have unlimited access the children beginning in December 2023.
“During the investigation, it was learned that all of the above-mentioned victims made outcries of various acts of sexual abuse perpetrated against them by Howard while they were at Eglin’s residence and she told them to not tell anyone, nor did she attempt to report the abuse to law enforcement,” BPD reported. “She also continued to allow Howard to live with her after the first reports of sexual abuse were made and continued to bring children into her home, allowing Howard access.”
Howard was arrested for failure to comply with sex offender registration on March 5; Eglin was arrested on March 19.
“Detectives believe that there may be additional victims that have not been identified,” BPD further reported. “The investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely to be filed.”