A 19-year-old Mt. Morris man is facing several charges, including second degree criminal sexual conduct, after pretending to be 14-years-old and convincing a Cass City family to let him stay in their home.
Michigan State Troopers from the Caro Post were called to a Cass City home recently, due to a report of a supposed 14-year-old boy allegedly abandoned by family. The Cass City family explained that the boy, calling himself Ethan, had befriended the 14-year-old daughter, and convinced her to let him visit for the day, eventually asking to stay overnight due to a family emergency.
When the girl’s mother was unable to contact Ethan’s family and several days had gone by with this mysterious boy in her home, she called 911 for help, sensing something was not right. Troopers confirmed her suspicions, revealing that “Ethan” was actually 19-year-old Ethan R. Dekalita of Mt. Morris, who had been preying on the 14-year-old girl for some time via Snapchat.
Further investigation found that, during the time Dekalita stayed with the family, he criminally assaulted both the 14-year-old and her 12-year-old sister. He was arraigned September 11, 2024 in the 71B District Court for three counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the 2nd Degree, Accosting a Child for Immoral Purposes, and Assault and Battery.
Troopers are encouraging parents to monitor their children’s social media activity regularly. The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children about the safe use of the internet, with many resources available to parents on the topic.
If you have information regarding other victims of Ethan Dekalita or other incidences of child exploitation or abuse, please call 911 or report it to the CyberTipLine at www.missingkids.org/cybertipline.
