A 60-year-old Tamaqua man was charged with inappropriately touching a 16-year-old girl with mental disabilities.

Tamaqua police said Wayne Curry had inappropriate contact with the girl between May 1 and Nov. 15.

According to police, the department received a report from ChildLine that Curry had touched a child. The incident happened on Oct. 28 and was witnessed by a male who reported that the activity had been going on for some time.

Police said the witness saw Curry touching the girl. The witness said Curry “jumped up” and tried to act like nothing had happened.

A few days later, Tamaqua police and a Tamaqua Area School District officer spoke with the girl. The officers asked her about the report, and she said that it did happen.

When asked how it started, the girl said she could not remember. She also told officers that she did not report it because Curry told her to keep it a secret because he did not want to go to jail. Police said they asked her if it had happened before, or if Curry had touched any other parts of her body, and she said no. She also said that since the incident, he did not touch her again.

The following day, police said the girl told a school counselor that she was afraid to talk to police about Curry. She told the counselor that the abuse was going on for a few months. She said Curry would touch her inappropriately.

Police said the girl was later interviewed by an employee of Schuylkill County Children and Youth. The girl said again that Curry had sexually assaulted her. She also said that she is autistic and bi-polar.

Police charged Curry with corruption of minors; endangering the welfare of a child; indecent assault of a person with mental disability, and indecent assault without consent.

Curry was arraigned Sunday before Magisterial Judge David Rossi of Tremont. He was committed to the Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $10,000 cash bail. He asked about contacting a bail bondsman, police said.