JBLM soldier accused of child rape of girl, 12

ELMA, Wash. — A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier accused of raping a 12-year-old girl in Elma, Washington, has been arrested.

The 23-year-old man was booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail for investigation of second-degree rape of a child.

KCPQ-TV of Seattle reports the girl's mother heard her daughter leave her Elma home without permission early Monday morning, reported her missing, then later spotted a suspicious car parked nearby. Sheriff's Deputy Steve Shumate says the mother found her daughter and the man in the car. The woman reportedly grabbed the young man's keys to keep him from driving off before officers could arrive to arrest him.

Investigators say the two may have met while using an instant messaging application called KIK.

Sheriff's officers are trying to determine whether there might be other victims.

In Other News

VA to resume new electronic health record rollout in mid-2026

The project was scheduled to take 10 years and cost $16 billion. Nearly eight years later, only six of VA’s 170-plus medical sites are using the software.

Suicides among veterans remain unchanged despite federal focus

The figures are the latest available from federal census data and suggest limited progress on the issue of suicide prevention by Veterans Affairs leaders.

Looming government shutdown could hurt military families, veterans

Plans to avert a partial government shutdown starting this weekend appeared scuttled after President-elect Donald Trump opposed the bipartisan deal.

Live in the Tricare West Region? Do this before Dec. 31.

Beneficiaries in the West Region who don't provide recurring payment information could risk losing Tricare coverage.

Senate finalizes plans for a massive junior enlisted pay boost in 2025

Troops ranked E-4 and below would see a 14.5% raise and all other troops a 4.5% raise under legislation headed to the White House.

Load More