Suspect allegedly threatened to rape child at home in Washburn

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

A Cassville man is facing a felony charge for allegedly attempting to molest a child at a home in Washburn.

Triston Garner, 27, of Cassville, What: Is charged with second-degree attempted child molestation.

According to a probable cause statement filed by James Morgan, Washburn police chief, on Dec. 27, 2025, at about 11:30 p.m., he was dispatched to a residence in Washburn for a possible sexual assault of a juvenile. Upon arrival, Morgan made contact with the reporting party, the mother of the juvenile.

The mother said according to her child, under the age of 12, Garner allegedly touched the child inappropriately, and said, “I will rape you,” and put his hands in the child’s pants.

The mother said Garner had been staying at the residence for a while as a family friend, and when confronted with the allegations of the incident, Garner left the home walking toward Cassville, where he has family who live in apartments.

Morgan reported the incident to Child Protective Services, and a forensic interview with the child was held on Dec. 28 at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Monett.

Morgan said in the statement Garner also allegedly attempted to get the child to kiss him on the lips, saying it would be fun, and was attempting to have sexual intercourse with the victim but was unsuccessful.

Garner also allegedly took pictures of the victim and showed the victim AI-created photos of the victim’s face on a naked person’s body, which Morgan said appeared to be an attempt at grooming.

Authorities recovered Garner’s phone from a brush pile he threw it into on the night he was confronted. Morgan said it was discovered Garner had called 9-1-1 and the Cassville Police Department responded to an apartment in Cassville because Garner was afraid someone was going to hurt him. The phone was submitted to a lab for a forensic phone dump.

On Jan. 9, Morgan went with a Cassville officer to the address on record for Garner and attempted to contact him but was unsuccessful.

The partial phone dump has been returned, and due to the phone having a password, the forensic team was unable to get a complete dump. Nothing of evidential value was discovered, Morgan said. 

A warrant for Garner’s arrest was issued on Feb. 25, and Garner was arrested and booked into the Barry County jail on Feb. 26, held on a cash-only bond of $100,000. A bond hearing is set for Thursday at 9 a.m. in the courtroom of Judge Robert Foulke.