Clayton, Mo. (KSDK) -- A Pennsylvania man is in jail, accused of forcing his way into a room at the Ritz-Carlton and molesting a 9-year old girl.
Clayton Police say Daniel Hughes, 42, of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania approached the the front desk around 4:00 a.m. Sunday and told the clerk he was staying in a specific room but that his room key wasn't working.
The clerk issued him a duplicate key to the room he asked for (which was actually the room number Hughes had at a hotel the night before). The room he then had access to was occupied by a St. Louis family with no connection to Hughes.
Police say Hughes tried to enter the to the suite but the door was chained so he forced his way in and entered a bedroom occupied by a 9-year old girl and her two friends.
According to court documents, that is when Hughes touched the child inappropriately over and under her clothing, the reason he is now charged with statuary sodomy and child molestation.
The girl's parents were in a separate bedroom. The girl eventually alerted them and they chased Hughes from the room. Clayton Police arrested Hughes a short time later.
"He didn't know who it was but you go into the wrong room and get into bed with somebody, wrong," said Clayton Police Chief Tom Byrne.
He is being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center with at bond of $250,000, cash only.
Investigators say Hughes was staying with a registered guest at the hotel, as they were on business together through Enterprise Rent-a-Car.
"This is a horrible situation for the family and our hearts go out to them," said Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman with Enterprise, She added that Hughes has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
Late Sunday, the a spokesman with the Ritz Carlton public relations department released this statement:
"We are aware of the incident reported earlier this morning. As soon as we were made aware of the situation we contacted the Clayton Police Department. The police are investigating the incident and we are cooperating fully throughout the investigation. Additionally, we are investigating the matter. As the matter is currently under investigation it would be inappropriate to provide further comment. If you have additional questions please contact the Clayton Police Department."
The clerk in this case has resigned.