Thong Nguyen, 30, of Anderson, Madison County, Indiana, United States is an employee of Lux Nails on South Scatterfield Road in Anderson. He immigrated from Vietnam and is not fluent in English.
On October 19, 2023, Nguyen gave a woman a pedicure at Lux Nails. After the pedicure, her son, who is under the age of 14, positioned himself next to the chair between her and Nguyen.
According to the woman, Nguyen ticked her son in the groin area. After the boy told Nguyen not to touch him there, the Vietnamese man allegedly touched the boy in the groin again while laughing.
After disputing the incident with the Lux Nails manager, the woman called 911. Anderson Police Department officers arrived and watched video surveillance of the reported incident.
The video showed Nguyen putting his hand towards the front of the boy’s body. It also showed the reaction of the boy’s mother and the second time Nguyen made a movement with his hand towards the boy’s groin area.
Through a translator, Nguyen explained to the officers what happened. The translator told the officers that Nguyen was used to Vietnamese culture, in which it is socially acceptable to touch children in a playful manner including in the genital areas.
The officers asked Nguyen through the translator if he touched the boy’s genitalia. Nguyen said he did because the boy was being cute and playful, according to the translator.
Nguyen was arrested and booked into the Madison County Jail in Anderson on a preliminary child molestation charge. Lux Nails fired him after the arrest.
CONAN Daily 