Report of child molestation at Bryan Park Pool

Police arrested a man for preliminary charges of child molestation after a young boy said the man inappropriately touched him Thursday at the Bryan Park Pool, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.

A young boy reported to his mother that 28-year-old Shell Needler touched the boy’s genitalia while they were in the men’s restroom.

Police were able to locate a matching suspect in the Bryan Park area after the boy pointed out the individual to his mother. The boy then identified Needler as the perpetrator to the police at the scene, Crider said.

Needler admitted to being at the pool during a police interview, initially denying that he visited the restroom. He later said he did use the restroom but no children were around while he did so.

The boy was taken to Susie’s Place, a child advocacy center, where he fully disclosed that he was touched inappropriately by a figure that matched the initial suspect, Crider said.

Police then arrested Needler at his residence Thursday afternoon.

— Jeff LaFave