A 57-year-old man will be returned to Mower County to face charges of second degree criminal sexual conduct.

According to Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi, the man, a registered sex offender with the state of Minnesota, was observed at a residence by a Mower County Department of Human Services child protection worker.

The man had been allowed to remain in the home alone with three minor children, while the mother went to the Twin Cities for an indefinite period of time.

During the absence of the mother, he is alleged to have done inappropriate things with a 10-year-old girl, according to the criminal complaint.

The man is currently in the Hennepin County Jail on probation violation charges after being arrested at the Mystic Lake Casino.

Amazi said the DHS child protection worker alertly noticed a car and its license plates outside the suspect's residence and notified authorities, which led to the suspect's arrest.

Church burglarized

St. Peter's Evangelical Church, rural Austin, was burglarized overnight.

Church workers observed a window broken and entrance gained.

Missing are a television set and a VCR.

In addition, the church suffered an estimated $100 damages, according to the Mower County Sheriff's Office report.

Lee Bonorden can be reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com