A 22 year old Etowah County man is behind bars after being arrested and charged with one count of Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree.  Kenneth Dewayne Blackwell, Jr. of Gadsden faces a felony count after being accused of abusing an eleven year old girl in her home March 23rd.

A family member reported the incident to law enforcement.

Blackwell is currently being held in the Etowah County Detention on a $25,000 cash bond – and as a condition of that bond, he is not allowed to have any contact with the victim, or the victim’s family.   

The case remains under investigation by the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office.