KENTON, Ohio — A judge on Tuesday handed down a sentence to a man who kidnapped, raped and tried to kill a 7-year-old girl last year in Hardin County.
Charles Castle was sentenced to 10 years to life plus 35 years in prison, a week after he was found guilty on 16 charges against him. He will also have to register as a tier 3 sex offender if released.
Castle showed little emotion in the courtroom as the sentence was read. When asked him if he had anything to say to the family, Castle shook his head and said, "no."
The victim's advocate said the little girl had a simple statement she wanted to be delivered in court, a message of sorts to Castle: "Go die."
Castle, 57, took the girl from her home on Nov. 11, 2021 and drove her to his RV just a couple of blocks away.
Castle was a longtime friend of the girl's family. The girl's parents testified during the trial that the father of the girl went over to Castle's RV to ask Castle if he had seen her. Later testimony revealed the girl was bound and trapped inside a closet in the RV as Castle "lied" to her father.
Later, prosecutors say Castle took the girl to an abandoned home on County Road 180, about seven miles away from the RV. She told a medic and a detective that she was thrown down the basement stairs, injuring her elbow. She would stay in that freezing, dark basement, with no food and water, until she was late on the night of Nov. 12.
Prosecutors say the girl was strangled and left with brain damage and lingering mobility issues after spending weeks in the hospital.
Castle was found guilty of seven counts of kidnapping, one count of rape, one count of attempted murder, one count of felonious assault and seven other charges.