MONROE — For the second time this month, Monroe police are investigating a child-on-child sex abuse case.

        A 13-year-old boy is accused of raping his 4-year-old half-brother, said Detective Kimberly Pant, the same detective who investigated an Aug. 2 incident in which a 9-year-old boy was accused of sexual contact with a 3-year-old girl.

        Officers have said they could recall no previous child-on-child sex cases in this city of 7,000 residents.

        “It's one of the most mind-boggling things that I've seen in my years as a policeman,” Police Chief Ernest Howard said. “To have two cases like that so close together, it's scary. I mean, what are our kids being taught? What are they learning? Where are they learning it?”

        The crime was reported Aug. 13, when the 4-year-old boy was at his grandparents' home. The grandmother witnessed the 4-year-old simulating a sex act with his toddler-age brother, and when she asked what he was doing, the 4-year-old replied that his older brother “does it to him ... and he became explicit,” Detective Pant said.

        The grandmother called police. Detective Pant had the 4-year-old sent to Children's Hospital Medical Center for examination and then began investigating.

        She later arrested the 13-year-old boy, who is being held in the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center awaiting an Oct. 4 trial.

        Chief Howard recalls seeing the young suspect as he was sitting in an interview room at the police department one night last week, across from the chief's office. The chief said he had a hard time fathoming that this youngster — who spoke to him politely — could have done something so horrible to his younger half-brother.

        “What struck me was he was so calm,” Chief Howard said.

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