HEBER CITY — The Wasatch County GOP chairman, who is also a father, was charged Wednesday with waterboarding his teenage daughter.

David Nephi Johnson, 54, was booked into the Wasatch County Jail on Tuesday and charged in 4th District Court on Wednesday with aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony.

Johnson is chairman of the Republican Party of Wasatch County.

The investigation began Jan. 21 when police received a report from the Division of Child and Family Services that a teenage girl "did not feel safe in her home and expressed fear for her life," according to a police booking affidavit.

During an interview, the girl said her father waterboarded her as punishment for not cleaning her room and "having it be spotless to (her father's) expectations" before she went out with friends, the affidavit states.

When the teen returned home, Johnson "grabbed the victim by the back of her neck and took her into the bathroom while the sink was filling with water. She disclosed that (Johnson) dunked her head under, brought it out, splashed water in her face, then dunked the victim's head under again," the affidavit alleges. "The victim disclosed that she couldn't breathe for about 20 to 30 seconds."

The teen also "disclosed multiple incidents involving her siblings" allegedly being abused, including a younger brother whom she said Johnson also grabbed by the neck, "took him into the bathroom and forced his head under the water. The victim stated that David removed her brother from the water, splashed water on his face and nose, knocked him down and repeated the act multiple times," the affidavit says.

The girl told police she does not feel safe when her father is home.

"The Heber City Police Department remains committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable," the department said Tuesday. "Anyone with additional information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Heber City Police Department."

Wednesday afternoon, the Wasatch County Republican Party Executive Committee issued a statement regarding the allegations against Johnson.

Source: Drudge Report