Karate instructor accused of molesting young girls in the Valley

CHANDLER, AZ - A Valley karate instructor has been arrested and charged with child molestation.

According to Chandler police, 47-year-old Scott Flood was arrested Friday at his home off Chandler Boulevard just east of Loop 101.

He's accused of molesting two different girls at daycare.

The recent incident between Flood and a 5-year-old girl reportedly happened at a daycare center near Chandler Boulevard and Dobson Road.

According to court documents, the girl said Flood tickled her in inappropriate areas on two separate occasions.

She then reportedly pointed out the areas to police on a stuffed animal.

Court papers said she was told by Flood on multiple occasions not to tell her parents about the incidents.

During the investigation, a previous incident in Tempe was also discovered, court papers showed.

In 2010, Flood allegedly touched a different 5-year-old girl inappropriately.

This victim told investigators that her pants fell down at one point, and Flood put his hand down her pants, according to court papers.

Court papers also said he had the girl sit on his lap before he kissed her on the cheek, said she was "gorgeous", and told her he loved her.

Tempe police spokesman Mike Horne said the case did not meet statutory requirements for child molestation and he was never charged.

Horne said police did, however, try to charge Flood with assault.

But Horne said by the time witnesses were interviewed and detectives met with prosecutors, it was decided there was not enough evidence for a conviction.

Flood denied both allegations and told police that if he touched the girls inappropriately, it was accidental.

He told investigators that he tickled the girls all over their bodies and not in inappropriate places.

The papers said the two incidents are random, and the victims do not know one another.

He has been charged with two counts of child molestation.

Police said Flood is self employed and does not work for a specific company.

Lydia Cisaruk, Director of Corporate Communications at Childtime and Tutor Time issued a statement saying: