Huntingburg couple accused of threatening children in Dubois County case

Described in an affidavit as a child-abuse and intimidation case, the Dubois County investigation against Desiree Wagner, 22, and Garrett Jaquett, 35, has moved into its most serious phase. Huntingburg Police arrested the couple on multiple charges, and prosecutors say the allegations now involve three victims, including children as young as 4.

The charges include child molestation, sexual battery, battery, performing sexual conduct in the presence of a minor and intimidation. According to reporting based on the affidavit, one of the new claims is that the couple threatened to kill children if they told anyone what had happened. That allegation raises the stakes beyond the abuse accusations alone, putting the case squarely in the realm of witness protection and child-safety concerns for Dubois County investigators.

The Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation began June 12, 2026, after authorities were alerted to a young child showing signs of sexual abuse. Investigators then worked with the Southwest Indiana Child Advocacy Coalition Center, known as SWICACC, and conducted several forensic interviews before charges were filed. During one of those interviews, a juvenile said Jaquett attempted sexual contact while they were alone and that Wagner asked whether the juvenile wanted to have sex with her.

Both defendants were being held on $125,000 cash-only bonds at the Dubois County Security Center in Jasper. The case remains active, keeping it in the hands of local law enforcement, the prosecutor’s office and child-advocacy specialists as they continue building the record for court.

SWICACC says its forensic interview process is used as evidence in child-maltreatment investigations and is designed to reduce trauma by limiting how many times a child has to repeat a statement. In a case involving very young victims and alleged threats meant to silence them, that approach is central to protecting children while preserving testimony for prosecutors.

Dubois County Prosecuting Attorney Beth E. Schroeder, the county’s elected prosecutor, is now responsible for moving the case through the criminal-justice system. In a community the size of Dubois County, allegations like these can ripple far beyond the courtroom, touching families, schools, churches and the agencies that are expected to detect abuse early and respond quickly when children are at risk.