The father of Tamra Keepness, a five-year-old Native girl who has been missing for more than a month, was charged with assault on Wednesday.

Troy Keepness is accused of trying to hit Dean McArthur, Tamra's stepfather, with a baseball bat. But McArthur claims there was no such assault. McArthur has been charged in a separate incident for allegedly assaulting another man.

The alleged assault was said to have taken place at the Keepness home in Regina, Saskatchewan. Tamra was last seen there on the night of July 5. Police have focused the investigation on the family but have not turned up any significant leads.

Get the Story:
Tamra's biological father charged with assault (CBC 8/11)
Tamra's biological father charged with assault (CBC 8/11)
Tamra's dad charged with assaulting stepfather (CP 8/11)

Related Stories:
Man claims to have seen missing Native girl (8/11)
Mother denies Tamra, siblings taken from family (8/6)
Missing Native girl, siblings had been taken from family (8/5)
Police have little information on missing Native girl (8/4)
Remains not linked to case of missing Native girl (8/3)
Police call off another search for missing Native girl (8/2)
Family of missing Native girl pray for safe return (7/30)
Candlelight vigil held for missing Native girl (7/28)
Search continues for missing five-year-old Native girl (7/27)
Home of missing five-year-old Native girl searched (7/23)
Siblings of missing Native girl removed from home (7/22)
Father of missing Native girl charged with assault (7/20)
Search continues for missing five-year-old girl (7/19)
Search continues for missing five-year-old Native girl (7/16)
Police suspicious of family in case of missing girl (7/15)
Police call off search for missing Native girl (7/14)
Police widen search for five-year-old Native girl (7/12)
Five-year-old Native girl in Canada missing (7/9)