Rosemarie Anne Steele facing sex charges

July 24--KEOKUK -- A 26-year-old woman was arrested Saturday on a year-old felony warrant charging her with having sex with a child under the age of 12.

Rosemarie Anne Steele gave police two different addresses, one in Burlington and one in Mount Pleasant, at the time of her arrest on the sex charge Saturday in Mount Pleasant.

Magistrate Tim Liechty set her bond at $50,000 during her first court appearance. She remained in the Lee County jail late Monday.

According to court documents, Steele is accused of having sex with the child sometime between "March 24, 2015. and December 9, 2015," at a home in Keokuk. The name, age and gender of the child were not included in the formal complaint.

She is facing charges of second-degree sexual abuse, a class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. She also will have to register as a sex offender the remainder of her life if convicted.

Steele, who was originally charged in August 2017 in South Lee County District Court, was arrested in Mount Pleasant over the weekend. Authorities did not say why it took almost a year to her arrest her on the outstanding warrant charging her with molesting the child.

According to court documents, "on or about June 21, 2017, (a Keokuk detective) was contacted by a Department of Human Resources (worker) concerning the sexual abuse of an individual under 12."

The investigator said the child was subsequently interviewed at the Child Protection Center in Galseburg, Illinois, concerning the sexual assault. The child told investigators the assault occurred during an "overnight stay" at a home in Keokuk.

"The victim said (Steele) had sex with (the child) while at the residence," court records state. "The victim said they were told by Steele not to tell anyone."

Following the interview in Galesburg, Keokuk officers contacted Steele July 26, 2017, at her home.

Steele admitted to investigators she "performed a sexual act on the victim and then engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim."

"She told the victim not to tell anyone, that it would be their secret," court records indicate. "Steele told investigators the act occurred after the birth of her second child, which was born on March 24, 2015."

Steele was arrested Saturday by Henry County authorities on the outstanding warrant. At that time, she gave police an address of North Lincoln street in Mount Pleasant.

However, when she appeared in court Monday before Liechty, she gave an address of 1809 Highland Ave., in Burlington.

Liechty ordered her to next appear in South Lee County District Court at 9 a.m.July 31 to face the felony charges.

Although court files list only one victim, authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

He appointed a state public defender to represent her.

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