On January 28, 2026, Inv. Henderson was contacted by Cass County law enforcement. Cass County Child Intake had a report that Child A (a seven-year-old juvenile female fully identified in police reports) had been subject to sexual abuse while living in a home over the Crow Wing County line in Pine River, Crow Wing County, State of Minnesota. Child A made numerous disclosures to a mandated reporter that her stepfather, Steven Anderson, the Defendant herein ([DOB redacted]), had forced her to perform oral sex and had digitally penetrated her vagina.
On January 30, 2026, Child A sat for a forensic interview at the Family Advocacy Center in Bemidji. Inv. Henderson observed the interview, which was conducted by Shannon Shaw, a nurse practitioner. Child A described several instances of sexual abuse. Child A stated the Defendant touches her privates and that these incidents occurred while she was three to six years old. Child A reported that the Defendant "punches" her in her privates. Child A also reported that the Defendant forces her to watch videos of other children being sexually abused.
Child A described several incidences of violent sexual assault. Child A stated the last time she was assaulted by the Defendant they were outside. The Defendant brought Child A down a nature trail. The Defendant then used his knuckles and "punched" her in her privates; Child A stated the Defendant's knuckles went into her vagina. Child A reported that the Defendant's acts made her privates "really uncomfortable". Child A reported that the Defendant told her that if she told anyone he would kill her.
Child A reported she screamed in the Defendant's ear and he "popped" her in the mouth. Child A described a second incident. Child A stated when she was four years old, the Defendant gave her ice cream and brought her into his bedroom. Child A stated she was on the bed when the Defendant pulled pants and underwear down and "punched" her in the privates. Child A stated the Defendant's fingers penetrated her vagina. Child A reported the Defendant's pants were down and she could see his privates. Child A described a third incident.
Child A reported that the Defendant made her suck his privates. Child A stated the Defendant forced her head close to his penis after she refused to lick his penis. The Defendant forced Child A to open her mouth and forced her head onto his penis. Child A stated the Defendant's penis felt mushy in her mouth and tasted like pee. Child A reported she threw up. Child A described a fourth incident. Child A recounted how she was getting dressed in the hallway by the living room when the Defendant approached her.
Child A stated the Defendant then came up and "punched" her in the privates. During the interview, Shannon Shaw gave Child A two anatomical drawings of a boy and a girl and asked Child A to circle the parts of the body that Child A was referring to. On the drawing of a girl, Child A circled the vagina as the part of the body the Defendant touched her; Child A also circled the mouth as the part of the body the Defendant made her use on his penis. On the drawing of a boy, Child A circled the hands and fingers as the parts of the body the Defendant used to touch her; Child A also circled the penis as the part of the body the Defendant made her touch. 4 18-CR-26-422 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 2/3/2026 On February 1, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the Defendant's home.
