Trial Begins for Alleged Child Molester

Written by City News Service, posted by Roy Rivenburg

Testimony began today in the trial of a man accused of molesting his ex-girlfriend's young daughter after a relative allegedly found an incriminating video on the defendant's cell phone.

Daniel Roger Hood, 43, is charged with multiple counts of sex with a child and lewd acts on a child. He faces up to 116 years to life in prison if convicted.Hood allegedly committed the acts between 2009 and 2011 while living with his then-girlfriend and the victim in Temecula and later, Oceanside. The alleged molestations began when the victim was five years old, authorities said.

According to evidence presented at a preliminary hearing last September, the defendant left his cell phone at his cousin's home in Norco. The cousin discovered a video on the phone that allegedly showed Hood sexually assaulting the victim and called police, Deputy District Attorney Kevin Watanabe said.

The girl disclosed the alleged continued abuse at the hands of Hood during a subsequent interview, according to the prosecutor. The girl testified that the molestation took place while her mother was at work.