OPINION

CRONE, Judge.

Case Summary

Terrence T. Walker appeals his conviction for class C felony child molesting involving fondling or touching. He argues that the victim's father made several inadmissible statements concerning Walker's guilt, resulting in fundamental error. He also argues that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on class D felony sexual battery because it is a lesser-included offense. Finally, he argues that the trial court abused its discretion in replacing a juror because that juror was the only African-American juror.

We conclude that fundamental error did not occur as a result of any inadmissible testimony. We also conclude that the trial court did not err in failing to instruct the jury on class D felony sexual battery because it is not an inherently or factually included offense of class C felony child molesting as charged here. We further conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in replacing the juror. Therefore, we affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

In July 2010, thirty-eight-year-old Walker lived in Crown Point with his wife, Crystal King, and two step-daughters, A.K. and M.K. Walker's stepdaughters sometimes played with thirteen-year-old A.B., who lived nearby with her mother ("Mother"), her step-father ("Father"), and her brother.

On the evening of July 14, 2010, A.B. was riding her bike and playing with Walker's stepdaughters. As twilight fell, A.B.'s parents went to Walker's residence to bring A.B. home. Walker was going to set off fireworks, and the girls wanted to watch. Walker told A.B.'s parents that he and his stepdaughters would walk A.B. home. A.B.'s parents gave her permission to stay and watch the fireworks, and they returned to their home.

At 11:30 p.m., A.B. was still outside playing with Walker's stepdaughters. Walker was sitting outside and drinking beer with Keith Woods, who lived across the street. Walker was intoxicated. Eventually, Walker told A.B. to go home but to "come back around." Tr. at 336. Walker told his stepdaughters to walk A.B. home. A.B. rode her bike, and the girls walked behind her. Walker watched from the front of his house. When A.B. was about halfway home, Walker called his stepdaughters to return home. They came home and went to bed. A.B. waited until Walker was alone outside, and she rode her bike back to Walker's residence. A.B. set her bicycle down in the front yard. Walker told her to put the bike in the back yard behind the shed. Walker took A.B. inside his house, and they sat on the couch and watched TV. Walker touched A.B. on the shoulder and said that she was pretty. Walker asked A.B. to come with him. A.B. followed Walker into the kitchen, through the laundry room, and then into the garage.

Walker's car was in the garage. Walker opened the driver's side door, lifted up the driver's seat, and pushed A.B. into the back seat. A.B. asked Walker what he was doing. She told him to stop. A.B. tried to scream, but Walker covered her mouth with his hand. Walker pulled down A.B.'s leggings. He pulled the left leg of her leggings completely off. He got on top of her. He kissed her neck and told her that she was pretty.1 A.B. heard someone trying to lift the garage door. Walker got up, told A.B. to stay there, and left. Three or four minutes later, A.B. pulled up her leggings, noticed that her underwear was missing, and went into the house through the laundry room door.

Meanwhile, Mother and Father had fallen asleep at home. They woke up and realized that A.B. was not home. They went to Walker's house. Father knocked on the doors and windows, but nobody answered. Father went across the Street to Woods's house for help. Woods knocked on the door to Walker's house. Woods used his cell phone to call Walker. Walker's wife, King, was in bed alone. She answered the phone. King said that Walker was not at home and that A.B. was not there. Father called the police.

The police arrived in approximately five minutes. Two officers knocked on Walker's front door. A third officer went to the back of the house, observed an empty deck, and returned to the front of the house. King answered the front door in her nightgown. She told the officers that A.B. was not there and that her husband was not home. Walker emerged from the kitchen area and came to the door clothed and wearing tennis shoes. Police asked him to come forward, and Walker stepped outside. He told police that he had been outside on the back deck and that he did not know where A.B. was. Police saw A.B. emerge from the kitchen. A.B. then exited the house through the front door. Mother described A.B. as "disheveled" and "a complete wreck." Id. at 151. A.B. felt "scared," "confused," "like everything was [her] fault that if [she] said something [she] would be in trouble." Id. at 348.

The police took A.B. to the side of the house to talk to her. The officers located A.B.'s bike behind Walker's shed. A.B. did not reveal to the police that anything inappropriate had occurred between her and Walker. The officers told A.B.'s parents to take her to the hospital. The police took Walker to the police station for questioning.

A.B.'s parents took her to the hospital. A.B. denied that she had been raped and would not agree to submit to a sexual assault evidence collection kit or "rape kit" because she was "scared" and "uncomfortable" "because all [her] family was in the room" and she "didn't know if they would leave or not." Id. at 350. The doctor on staff did not order a rape kit for A.B. because she did not "verbally tell him that she had been raped." Id. at 155.

A.B. and her parents returned home. Mother stayed in the car with A.B., who started crying. A.B. went into the house. Mother followed A.B. to the bathroom and noticed that she was not wearing her underwear. Mother had watched A.B. dress that morning and knew that she was wearing underwear when she went out that day. Mother asked A.B. what had happened to her underwear. A.B. began crying again and told Mother that Walker had taken her into his car and sexually assaulted her. Mother called the police. They instructed her to bag up A.B.'s clothing and bring it to the police station.2 Mother decided not to take A.B. back to the hospital because A.B. was having an "emotional breakdown." Id. at 184.

The police obtained DNA samples from Walker, A.B., A.B.'s leggings, the back seat of Walker's car, and items recovered from the car. Two samples taken from A.B.'s leggings contained DNA from which Walker could not be excluded as a contributor. One sample was from Area 16, which is located on the inside of the right leg of the leggings. State's Ex. 14. The probability that a random person in the African-American population contributed to the DNA mixture in the sample from which Walker could not be excluded was 1 in 2.9 billion. Tr. at 616-17. The DNA expert testified that such a low probability indicated that it would be "somewhat rare to find another individual to be [a] possible contributor." Id. at 617-18. The other sample was from Area 18, which is located on the outside front of the leggings somewhat below the waistband. State's Ex. 12. The probability that a random person in the African-American population contributed to the DNA mixture in the sample from which Walker could not be excluded was 1 in 83,000. In addition, the sample taken from the back seat of Walker's car contained DNA from which A.B. could not be excluded as a contributor. The probability that a random person in the African-American population contributed to the DNA mixture in the sample from which A.B. could not be excluded was 1 in 140,000. Tr. at 623 and 624.3

On October 14, 2010, the State charged Walker with class A felony child molesting involving sexual intercourse and class C felony child molesting involving touching or fondling. A four-day jury trial began June 18, 2012. The jury found Walker not guilty of class A felony child molesting but guilty of class C felony child molesting. Walker now appeals. Additional facts will be provided as necessary.

Discussion and Decision

I. Father's Testimony

At trial, Father testified on direct examination as follows:

[The prosecutor]:

[The prosecutor]:

THE COURT:

A. I can't be in here. I can't do this testimony.

THE COURT:

[Defense counsel]:

THE COURT:

THE COURT:

THE COURT:

THE COURT:

WHEREUPON THE COURT TOOK A SHORT RECESS.

THE COURT:

Ladies and gentlemen, please disregard the recent outburst that you heard there. It was not responsive to any questions, it was a volunteered outburst, so just disregard that outburst and I know all of you can consider how it occurred, so I hope it doesn't happen again. If the defendant is ready we will bring him back in and start questioning.

THE COURT:

Tr. at 197-99.

During cross-examination, defense counsel questioned Father about the manner in which Mother questioned A.B. after she exited Walker's house:

Id. at 233.

Defense counsel also questioned Father regarding A.B.'s refusal to submit to a rape kit:

Id. at 235, 240.

Walker argues that Father's testimony violated Indiana Evidence Rule 704(b) and denied him the presumption of innocence to which he is entitled. Walker did not object to the testimony of which he now complains and therefore has waived the issue for appellate review. See Kubsch v. State, 784 N.E.2d 905, 923 (Ind.2003) ("Failure to object at trial to the admission of evidence results in waiver of that issue on appeal."). Moreover, the trial court admonished the jury following Father's outburst. A timely and accurate admonishment is presumed to cure any error in the admission of evidence. Lay v. State, 659 N.E.2d 1005, 1009 (Ind.1995). "`[R]eversible error is seldom found when the trial court has admonished the jury to disregard a statement made during the proceedings.'" Warren v. State, 757 N.E.2d 995, 999 (Ind.2001) (quoting Bradley v. State, 649 N.E.2d 100, 108 (Ind. 1995)).

Nevertheless, Walker argues that the trial court's failure to sua sponte order a mistrial was fundamental error. He also claims that defense counsel's failure to object to Father's subsequent comments and move for mistrial resulted in fundamental error. We have said that

Palilonis v. State, 970 N.E.2d 713, 730 (Ind.Ct.App.2012), trans. denied.

Indiana Evidence Rule 704(b) provides, "Witnesses may not testify to opinions concerning intent, guilt, or innocence in a criminal case; the truth or falsity of allegations; whether a witness has testified truthfully; or legal conclusions." It is clear that from Father's outburst and his subsequent testimony that he believed Walker was guilty. However, it is unsurprising that Father believed his daughter and experienced intense emotions. We expect that most fathers would experience similar emotions. The trial court acknowledged that the jurors would have such an understanding. See Tr. at 199 ("so just disregard that outburst and I know all of you can consider how it occurred."). We agree with the trial court that the jurors would understand this basic human response and presume that the jury followed the court's instruction to disregard Father's remarks. We conclude that the trial court's admonishment cured any error arising from Father's outburst.

As for Walker's argument that Father's subsequent comments rose to the level of fundamental error, we are unpersuaded. These subsequent comments were made during defense counsel's cross-examination. Two of the three comments were responsive to defense counsel's questions and therefore constitute invited error. "`[E]rror invited by the complaining party is not reversible error.'" Booher v. State, 773 N.E.2d 814, 822 (Ind.2002) (quoting Ellis v. State, 707 N.E.2d 797, 803 (Ind.1999)). The first of the comments was in response to defense counsel questions regarding whether Mother was excited, upset, and loud when she talked to A.B. about what had happened. Father replied, "I'm explaining it to you. She was talking to my child, when this happened I was not mean to my daughter because that's — that's more abuse. She's been messed over and abused here and you're gonna take her home and abuse her? You don't do a person like that." Tr. at 233. Father was merely explaining why they would not have been harsh with A.B. The second comment was in response to defense counsel's questioning regarding A.B.'s refusal to submit to a rape kit. Father testified, "She just broke down, it's like — it's not a good feeling I guess for a kid to be violated. As an adult, how would you feel if somebody [violates] you? It would take your whole morale — so this is a little kid." Id. at 235. Father was offering a reasonable explanation as to why A.B. would not agree to the rape kit. As this testimony constituted invited error, it is not reversible error.

Father's last comment, however, was not responsive to defense counsel's questions. He stated, "First of all, let me tell you something, if I thought that this individual didn't do nothing, I would be in this court saying this man is innocent. I would never let nobody go through assassinating their character, and assassinating their life, putting a burden like this on them." Tr. At 240. This testimony clearly violated Indiana Evidence Rule 704(b), but we cannot conclude that it deprived Walker of a fair trial. In addition to Father's testimony, the jury observed and listened to the testimony of A.B., Mother, Walker's wife, Walker's stepdaughters, Keith Woods, five police officers, and two lab technicians. All witnesses were vigorously cross-examined. As discussed earlier, the jury would have understood that Father's statements were influenced by his intense emotional response to the situation. In fact, the jury acquitted Walker of class A felony child molesting. Accordingly, we conclude that Father's statement did not result in fundamental error.4

II. Failure to Give Instruction

At the instruction conference following closing arguments, Walker requested an instruction on sexual battery as a class D felony. The trial court concluded that class D felony sexual battery was a lesser-included offense of class C felony child molesting and stated that it would give the instruction even though defense counsel had not submitted an instruction. However, the following day, the trial court did not provide the jury with an instruction on class D felony sexual battery. Walker did not object to the omission of the instruction.

Walker asserts that the trial court erred in failing to give the class D felony sexual battery instruction. The State asserts that Walker waived his claim by failing to object to the omission of the requested instruction. We agree. See Treadway v. State, 924 N.E.2d 621, 633 (Ind.2010) ("Failure to object at trial waives the issue for review unless fundamental error occurred."). Walker can obtain reversal only by establishing fundamental error, error that makes a fair trial impossible or constitutes clearly blatant violations of basic and elementary principles of due process. Palilonis, 970 N.E.2d at 730.

When a party requests an instruction on an alleged lesser-included offense, the trial court must use a three-step analysis to determine whether the instruction is appropriate.

Watts v. State, 885 N.E.2d 1228, 1231-32 (Ind.2008) (citations omitted).

Walker was charged and convicted pursuant to Indiana Code Section 35-42-43(b), which provides,

Sexual battery is defined in Indiana Code Section 35-42-4-8(a)(1)(A), which provides in relevant part,

Class D felony sexual battery is not an inherently included offense of child molesting because the sexual battery statute requires a finding that the victim was compelled to submit to the touching by force or imminent threat of force and the child molesting statute does not require this element but does require proof of age. Compare Ind.Code § 35-42-4-8(a) with Ind. Code § 35-42-4-3; see also Childs v. State, 886 N.E.2d 75, 77 (Ind.Ct.App.2008) (concluding that class D felony sexual battery was not an inherently lesser-included offense of class B felony child molesting).

Class D felony sexual battery is also not a factually included offense of class C felony child molesting as charged. The information for Walker's class C felony molesting charge alleged,

Appellant's App. at 6. The information does not allege facts including the element of force or imminent use of force as required for class D felony sexual battery. Accordingly, class D felony sexual battery is neither an inherently nor a factually included offense of class C felony child molesting as charged. Because it is neither inherently nor factually included, we do not proceed to the third step of examining the evidence, even though in this case there was evidence that A.B. was compelled to submit to Walker's touching by force.5 Because class D felony sexual battery is neither inherently nor factually included in class C felony child molesting as charged, there was no error, let alone fundamental error, in the trial court's omission of an instruction on class D felony sexual battery.

III. Replacement of Juror

At the close of the parties' evidence on June 20, 2012, the trial court instructed the jury to return the following morning at 7:45 a.m. to hear closing arguments so that they could begin deliberating before other scheduled court proceedings began. This was two hours earlier than the three previous mornings.

The following day, Juror 271 was not present at 7:45 a.m. The trial court attempted to contact the juror on his cellphone but was unsuccessful because the juror had provided an incomplete phone number. At 8:22 a.m., the trial court met with the parties in open court, informed them that Juror 271 was not present and could not be reached by cellphone, and that the court had decided to replace the juror with an alternate. Defense counsel objected because Juror 271 was the only African-American on the jury. The court stated:

Tr. at 649. The parties presented closing arguments. At 9:45 a.m., the jury retired to deliberate. Juror 271 had arrived by then and explained to the trial court that he depended on public transportation and that the bus had broken down three times that morning.6

Walker challenges the trial court's decision to replace Juror 271 because Juror 271 was the only black juror on the panel. It is well settled that

Jervis v. State, 679 N.E.2d 875, 881-82 (Ind.1997) (citations omitted).

Essentially, Walker's argument is that he was prejudiced by not having an African-American on the jury, and that if the court had just waited until 9:45 a.m. to begin that day, as it had the three previous days, it would not have had to replace Juror 271 because Juror 271 was in court by then and was blameless. Significantly, Walker does not allege that the replacement of Juror 271 was based on racial discrimination, nor are there any facts present here that remotely suggest that Juror 271 was replaced due to racial discrimination. Rather, Walker asks us to assume prejudice, saying that he "was prevented from having his fate determined by a properly empaneled jury selected by him for that purpose." Appellant's Br. at 18. We disagree. Indiana Trial Rule 47(B) provides, "Alternate jurors shall be drawn in the same manner, shall have the same qualifications, shall be subject to the same examination and challenges, shall take the same oath, and shall have the same functions, powers, facilities and privileges as the regular jurors." See also King v. State, 508 N.E.2d 1259, 1263 (Ind.1987). Walker does not argue that his role in selecting the alternate juror was anything less than required by our trial rules. We decline to presume prejudice.

Further, to the extent that Walker's argument relies on the fact that Juror 271 appeared before the end of closing arguments and was blameless, it is based on pure hindsight. At 8:22 a.m., the trial court did not know why Juror 271 was absent, let alone when or whether he would appear. The trial court had sound reasons to proceed. Accordingly, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in replacing Juror 271.

Affirmed.

ROBB, C.J. and FRIEDLANDER, J., concur.