Sex offender gets molestation charges

A registered sex offender living in Willow Springs has been arrested and accused of molesting a child. Curtis Wayne Havens, age 39, of Willow Springs, is charged with six felony counts of second degree child molestation – aggravated sexual offense – child less than 17 years of age and offender greater than 4 years older and two counts of attempted second degree child molestation – aggravated sexual offense – child less than 17 years of age and offender greater than 4 years older. He was arrested by the Howell County Sheriff's Office on July 16 and released on a $50,000 surety bond the same day. 

 

An investigation into these allegations began on April 25, 2024, when a deputy with the Sheriff's Office and an investigator from Children's Division responded to a residence on State Route K for sexual abuse allegations, according to court documents. They spoke to a woman who said her 14-year-old daughter had told her she had been touched an inappropriate manner while at Haven's residence. In interviews with the South Central Child Advocacy Center, the victim described incidents on April 24 and 25. 

 

Havens was interviewed by Sheriff's deputies on May 21 and stated he had been looking for scrap metal outside with the child. He said when they came inside the residence, they both had numerous ticks on them and that the child did lay on a bed and he checked her for ticks but denied touching the victim in any inappropriate manner.

 

Curtis Havens is a registered sex offender who was convicted of second-degree child molestation on June 24, 2009, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Sex Offender Registry. He is listed as committing the offense against a 16-year-old girl on May 3, 2008.