Sydney Sumner

Hourly update.

Breaking crime news now.

I'm Sydney Sumner.

A county Republican Party chairman in Utah was arrested Wednesday and charged with aggravated child abuse after he repeatedly dunked his teenage daughter's head in a bathroom sink because she didn't clean her room to his specifications before going out with friends.

A police report says that Wasatch County officials received a report on January 21st from the Division of Child and Family Services that the girl had told them she did not feel safe in her home and expressed fear for her life.

The girl told child advocates David Nafai Johnson, 54, punished her when she came back home, telling them her father grabbed her by the back of her neck, took her into the bathroom while the sink was filling with water.

and took her into the bathroom while the sink was filling with water she said that johnson dunked her head under brought it out splashed water in her face then dunked her head under again the girl also said there had been other incidents in which her siblings were abused including a younger brother

whom Johnson took him into the bathroom and forced his head under the water.

She said Johnson pulled her brother from under the water, splashed water on his face and nose, knocked him down, and repeated the act again multiple times.

The girl told investigators, "'I don't feel very safe.

When I go to bed, I feel like I can't sleep because I don't feel safe.

When my dad's not home, I feel fine, but when he's home, I never feel safe because I feel like something's going to happen.'"

Johnson is the Wasatch County Republican Party chairman.

The party's executive committee released a statement saying, The safety and well-being of children are paramount importance to our party and our community.

We are deeply concerned and troubled by the nature of the allegations brought forward by the Heber City Police Department.

The Wasatch County GOP executive committee met in an emergency session.

In accordance with our bylaws, Vice Chair Patty Sprunt will temporarily assume leadership to ensure the party continues its work for the residents of the county without interruption.

The committee said no evidence had been presented so far and that the community should refrain from judgment.

Johnson was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Wasatch County Jail.

More crime and justice news after this.