Rape charges filed against a Warren youth last week began with a call from nurses at Warren General Hospital.

Ethan R. Riggin, 18, of Warren was charged with first-degree felony rape forcible compulsion, second-degree felony sexual assault, second-degree felony aggravated indecent assault without consent, second-degree felony aggravated indecent assault – forcible compulsion and third-degree corruption of minors – defendant age 18 or above. The charges were filed Friday by Warren city police officers.

Riggin was preliminarily arraigned Friday afternoon by Magisterial District Judge Laura Bauer, who set bail at $50,000. According to online court docket information, Riggin was still in the Warren County Prison as of Wednesday morning. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 6, before Judge Bauer.

According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, city police officers were advised of a sexual assault victim on July 16 at Warren General Hospital by one of the hospital’s sexual assault nurse examiners. Officers spoke to the girl with the girl’s parents present. The girl, according to police, identified Riggin, who she said sexually assaulted her without her consent.

On July 18, a forensic interview was conducted at the Children’s Advocacy Center, where the girl told interviewers that between July 12 and 13 she was in a vehicle with Riggin and a friend. Riggin at that time allegedly began kissing her and tried several times to pull her pants down before the alleged sexual assault took place.

“The victim explained that she was crying, begging the defendant to stop,” the affidavit states. “However, the defendant told her no … The friend also instructed the defendant to stop.”

One of the girl’s friends was interviewed on July 24 and, while the friend was not there for the alleged incident, said she had been told what allegedly happened and that Riggin had allegedly been bothering the girl about wanting to have intercourse. The affidavit states the girl has proof that Riggin was told the girl did not want to have intercourse. Another friend was interviewed on July 24. That friend was allegedly in the vehicle before the alleged sexual assault. The friend knew that Riggins was interested in intercourse with the girl, so left when Riggin and the girl began kissing. When returning to the vehicle, the friend heard the girl telling Riggins to stop, and when Riggin allegedly did not, the friend told Riggin to ‘chill.’

“In addition, the victim advised that the defendant had sent her a text message after this incident, providing her with three options,” the affidavit states. “The first, the defendant told the victim that he would take her to court for lying. Second, the defendant told the victim that if she takes him to court, he’ll have her boyfriend charged too. Third, the defendant told her that she could ‘shut the … up’ and leave him alone.”