WESTLAND, Mich. – A Westland man who's charged with inappropriately touching young boys at a children's birthday party has been released from jail after posting bond.
Andrew Joseph Arnett is out of jail after posing $100,000 bond. He's facing charges of having inappropriate contact with at least four boys.
Police said they interviewed another child Friday about Arnett, and they expect even more victims to come forward.
"I'm worried because he lives a couple houses down from me," a woman said.
The Westland community is on edge after Arnett returned home from jail.
"It just ruins that kid's life," a woman said. "Is this little boy going to grow up to do the same thing? He's got to live with that."
Police said Arnett, 37, touched the boys in January during a birthday party sleepover at the Homewood Suites in Westland.
Arnett is dating the birthday boy's mother, and they were the only two adults supervising the group of children.
"That's kind of scary," the neighboring woman said. "That'd be scary for the other kids. I can't believe he did it. I feel bad for the kids and the parents."
The first victim came forward five months after the birthday party. In June, the boy watched a sex education video in school and told his parents what had happened at the sleepover.
"He did the right thing," Brighton Police Chief Rob Bradford said. "If he didn't do this, then it may have happened next year to somebody else. I praise him. It takes a lot of courage to do that, and I praise the other victims for coming forward as well."
Arnett kept his face covered after posting bond and leaving jail.
The victims are all friends and attend the same school.
Police said this might not be the first incident involving Arnett. They're investigating a birthday party from last year in which he had similar access to children.
Police said the investigation is an opportunity for parents to talk to their children about stranger danger and how to protect themselves.