A Sandy scuba instructor, David L. Butt, stands indicted on four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Prosecutors allege Butt, 41, abused a former student when she was about 10 years old during classes he taught in February of 2021, as reported by ABC4.
The indictments come after the victim disclosed to authorities that Butt touched her inappropriately, with another class participant corroborating the behavior, describing Butt as significantly more "hands-on" with the victim compared to others, according to KUTV. Another juvenile in the class, troubled by Butt's conduct, reported his actions as "creepy" and took his concerns to his father.
Sim Gill, the Salt Lake County District Attorney, highlighted the vulnerability of children in these scenarios, where power dynamics and trust can be exploited. Gill said, as per KSLTV, "We know that with position of power dynamic and unique trust, it also brings that authority into that (alleged abuse) and so children are far more vulnerable."
Further complicating the case, additional allegations of similar nature against Butt have emerged. This includes another young girl who took lessons from Butt in Midway and has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder due to the abuse. "These children are not alone, this is not your fault, and we want you to know that as a community we are here to help. And we will take any allegations seriously," Gill said, as obtained by KSLTV.
The current charges involve only the incidents concerning the 10-year-old girl in Salt Lake County, but with a wider investigation underway, there may be more revelations to come as this troubling case unfolds.
