09:21 AM EST on Saturday, January 28, 2006

Associated Press

ABBEVILLE, S.C. —The stepfather of a 10-year-old girl was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor after she became pregnant, police said.

William Edward Ronca, 26, was being held Friday at the Abbeville County jail.

The girl's mother told The (Greenwood) Index-Journal that she had no idea her daughter was pregnant.

A school guidance counselor told the mother the girl was acting withdrawn and not participating at school. The girl was later taken to Abbeville County Memorial Hospital, where it was discovered she was about seven to eight months pregnant.

Warrants said Ronca had been having sex with the girl for about a year, and told her not to tell anyone.

Ronca has a child with the girl's mother, according to police reports. The couple is getting a divorce.

Ronca was arrested Tuesday.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

APTV-01-28-06 0900EST