At least 50 state wards — some as young as 4
— have suffered sex abuse
BY Martha Stoddard / World-Herald News Service 
LINCOLN, Nebraska — At least 50 Nebraska children, some as young as 4 years old, have suffered sexual abuse while in the state’s care or after being placed in an adoptive or guardianship home.
That’s according to an investigative report released Wednesday by Julie Rogers, the inspector general of Nebraska child welfare.
All of the cases were reported to the state’s child abuse hotline from July 2013 through October 2016 and all were substantiated, either by the courts or by child welfare officials.
Rogers said the true scope of sexual abuse of current and former state wards may never be known. Many cases are not reported and others cannot be substantiated.
But she said her office’s investigation concluded that the state’s child welfare system has “concerning deficiencies” in its ability to prevent and respond to the sexual abuse of children in state care.
“The state becomes involved to protect children,” Rogers said. “Any case of maltreatment, including sexual abuse, of a state ward is unacceptable.”
The Inspector General’s Office launched the investigation last year after getting a stream of reports concerning sexual abuse of youths with current or former involvement with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
The study sought to determine whether the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and others involved with the child welfare system were taking adequate steps to prevent and respond to sexual abuse of children in state care.
Among the deficiencies found:
>> Both caregivers and child welfare professionals held problematic attitudes about child sexual abuse. Some assumed children who made allegations were lying or acting out because they were troubled. Others blame children for causing the abuse.
>> Some child sexual abuse allegations were not appropriately reported or screened for investigation. Some reports were poorly investigated or left incomplete for long periods of time, in some cases, years. Others were never investigated.
>> Child welfare workers were not consistently prepared to prevent or respond to sexual abuse of state wards. Factors included high levels of worker turnover, high workloads, lack of training and workers’ lack of comfort in dealing with the topic.
>> Out-of-home placements, both foster homes and residential care facilities, were not properly reporting sexual abuse in some cases and were not equipped to prevent it. Oversight and standards for both types of placements need improvement.
The report summarizes each of the 50 substantiated cases, as well as seven cases in which the sexual abuse allegations were listed as unfounded or were never investigated.
Among the 50 cases were 27 children who were in foster homes, state-licensed residential homes or state-run facilities. The 23 other children were former state wards who were sexually abused in the adoptive or guardianship homes where the state had placed them.
Rogers said the impact of child sexual abuse can be lifelong. Survivors are more likely to develop physical and mental health problems, face academic difficulties, engage in risky behaviors and earn less over their lives.
National estimates show that one in 10 children will be subject to sexual abuse before the age of 18, either by an adult or another youth.
This number is actually quite wrong - it does not include peer on peer sexual assault! Research conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.
In 90 percent of those cases, the abuser will be someone the child knows and trusts.
In Nebraska, there were 1,284 children who experienced substantiated sexual abuse between 2013 and 2016. Child sexual abuse can include child rape and molestation; sexual touching; coercing or persuading a child to participate in sex acts; and exposing a child to pornography, voyeurism and sexual communications by phone or via the Internet.
And that is a small percentage of the total sexual assaults on children.
The Nebraska Legislature created the Inspector General’s Office to provide independent oversight of child welfare and the juvenile probation system.
Woman arrested in connection to child molestation charges against former Green Room Bar owner
Tauney Lee Van Sickle arrested on Dec. 26
Natalie Tarangioli
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - A local nurse was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly having sex with an underage girl and former Green Room Bar owner, Frank "Kruz" Sanchez, according to Bakersfield Police.
On Dec. 26, Tauney Lee Van Sickle, 31, was arrested on charges of lewd or lascivious acts with a child younger than 14-years-old and continuous sexual abuse of a child. Police did not disclose where Van Sickle was a nurse.
According to BPD, Van Sickle and Sanchez performed sexual acts together with the victim.
Sanchez was arrested on Dec. 7. Court documents show the victim said she was sexually assaulted when she was as young as five-years-old.
In an interview with police, Sanchez, 53, admitted to having sex with the victim when she was 11 or 12-years-old, then later admitted she could have been as young as seven. He is being held on $1 million bail and is due back in court in February.
Van Sickle is being held on $150,000 bail. She has not been formally charged and is expected in court on Thursday.
‘People were ecstatic’: Catholic Diocese celebrates accused child molester’s Christmas return to the pulpit
Bob Brigham
A Minnesota Roman Catholic priest accused of sexual misconduct with a 15-year-old boy has returned to public ministry, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday.
Bishop Michael Hoeppner placed the Rev. Patrick Sullivan on administrative leave as pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Parish in Dilworth and St. Andrew’s Parish in Hawley following the allegations.
“The Diocese of Crookston Board of Review for the Protection of Children and Young People (Board) reviewed the deposition of the Plaintiff and deemed the allegation not credible,” the Diocese wrote in a public statement (PDF). “Following the policy and recommendation of the Board, and adhering to Canon Law, Bishop Hoeppner has reinstated Fr. Sullivan for public ministry.”
"This diocese and Hoeppner are doing the wrong thing again"
The victim’s attorney, Jeff Anderson, slammed Rev. Sullivan’s reinstatement.
“There is information that has not been made known to the public that is in Bishop Hoeppner’s possession that demonstrates that this diocese and Hoeppner are doing the wrong thing again,” Anderson revealed.
The St. Paul attorney said the “reckless” decision “poses a threat of harm to children.”
Monsignor Mike Foltz of the Crookston Diocese denied Bishop Hoeppner had additional troubling information about the Rev. Sullivan.
But the victim’s attorney argued that Bishop Hoeppner knew Rev. Sullivan “posed a serious risk of harm” before his client came forward with his allegations.
The Star Tribune noted the Crookston Diocese has released the names of six additional priests accused of sexually molesting minors since 2014. More than 500 claims of sexual abuse by Minnesota clergy have been made during the last four years.
“He was there for Christmas,” Monsignor Foltz said of Rev. Sullivan’s return. “The people were ecstatic, from the children to the parents to the grandparents. They swarmed him with love and affection and hugs.”
Oh, well, that makes everything alright, I guess!!!!!??? Protect the clergy, the children be damned!
Conservative Movement Severs Ties with Former Youth Director over Alleged Sexual Abuse
By JNS.org
The congregational arm of Conservative Judaism has severed ties with the longtime director of the denomination’s youth movement after receiving “multiple testimonies” that corroborated an allegation of sexual abuse.
Allegations about Jules Gutin, 67, who in 2011 completed his 20-year tenure as international director of United Synagogue Youth and since 2012 had conducted tours of Poland for USY, first came to light Nov. 9 through a Facebook post by a man who claimed that someone who worked with thousands of teens had abused him in the 1980s. After confirming with the man that he was referring to Gutin in his post, JNS.org communicated with several other men who alleged that they were underage victims of unwanted sexual touch by Gutin during that decade.
“Two of my USYers have said very similar things to me over the years, and named the same name,” said Arnie Draiman, a former USY youth adviser.
According to an email dated Nov. 21, Gutin asked the man who made the initial accusation on Facebook not to name him or USY in communication with the media in order to “spare my family from pain” and avoid “any harm to an organization we both love.”
“Whatever points you want to make would be just as powerful without people knowing the specific individual,” Gutin wrote to his accuser. He also wrote that the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism was “totally justified” in suspending him from staffing any of its programs, and concluded the email, “Once again I am sorry.”
Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO of USCJ, and his staff have been in touch with the alleged victim and have had multiple conversations. The abuse allegedly occurred 33 years ago, when the victim was 17 years old and Gutin was 34.
When USCJ first learned of the allegation last month and had two conversations with Gutin, he was suspended from his duties. At that point, USCJ established a confidential hotline to report incidents of sexual abuse.
One alleged victim told JNS.org that Gutin invited him to stay in his home while his family was away, and they slept in the same bed. The victim claimed that Gutin touched him, prompting him to leave the room abruptly. He said that he reported the alleged incident to people in his region, “but I was one small voice and it would have been his word against mine.”
“Our investigation led us to sever the relationship with [Gutin] permanently. We found the allegations to be substantive,” Wernick said.
Gutin said that under his guidance, USY instituted strict guidelines for staff and student contact during and around 1996-1997 following an incident that took place during USY on Wheels, a summer bus touring program. He expressed concern about people who felt that they had been wronged in some way and claimed he was not aware of any allegations other than the Facebook post that did not name him.
USY, like the Orthodox Union’s NCSY and the Union for Reform Judaism’s NFTY, provides social programming and educational events for students primarily ages 14-18.
In the Orthodox Union’s youth arm, NCSY, strict protocols on this issue have been in place since 2001, following the guilty verdict and seven-year-imprisonment of former national NCSY Director Baruch Lanner for child sexual abuse. The Reform movement’s NFTY also has such protocols in place, as do all accredited camps and schools. Gutin said NCSY contacted USY when it was establishing its guidelines on abuse, and it utilized some of USY’s information in forming its own protocols in the wake of the Lanner case.
According to Wernick, USCJ’s hotline received “heavy traffic” and allegations against Gutin as well as Bob Fisher, former director of the Far West USY region.
The allegations against Gutin and Fisher, Wernick stated, centered around the 1980s and early 1990s, before USY or any national Jewish youth organization had protocols and handbooks in place to prevent abuse or report it.
Wernick said the steps USCJ has taken in response to the allegations have gone “beyond any mandated reporting in terms of criminal liability. We are beyond anything we can do from an additional perspective other than severing our relationship with [Gutin].” Any awards given in the name of Gutin or Fisher have been discontinued, said Wernick.
In 2011, two years after Wernick started his post at USCJ, the organization instituted new protocols for preventing and dealing with accusations of abuse. Staffers have a handbook providing guidelines for appropriate behavior with USY youths, and are required to sign a statement that they have read the handbook and have agreed to its policies. They are required to sign again if the handbook is updated.
Wernick said he is confident that USY now does everything in its power to keep students safe.
“All staff have to have a background check before being hired, and USY now has a youth protection officer assigned at every USY event,” he said. “Every USYer has that person’s phone number so they have an advocate if they feel threatened in any way, by anyone. USY is a safe place.”
Alabama Elementary coach under investigation
for possible sex abuse
By Cliff McCollum
Daphne Elementary School P.E. Coach William “Billy” Davis is currently under investigation for possible sex abuse of a child.
According to sources, the Daphne Police Department is currently investigating multiple complaints involving several Daphne Elementary female students.
Daphne Police officials said they would not comment further on the matter as it is an active investigation.
According to the Baldwin County School System, Davis had been placed on administrative leave Oct. 20 pending a human resources investigation.
Superintendent Eddie Tyler released the following statement regarding the matter, saying he had urged that Davis be terminated:
“As your Superintendent, please know that I take any concerns related to the safety and welfare of our students very seriously and will continue to take appropriate action when necessary to protect our students,” Tyler said. “I have recently received media inquiries regarding William Davis, an employee of the Baldwin County Board of Education. William Davis has been a PE teacher at Daphne Elementary. He was placed on paid administrative leave on October 20 and he was notified of my recommendation to terminate him on November 9. The board will consider my recommendation at an upcoming board meeting. School system employees have certain due process rights which limit my ability to provide further comment.”
Davis had previously been arrested in June for violating a restraining order filed against him by his ex-wife. According the court documents, Davis had allegedly physically abused her and threatened to kill her.
That sounds like a man who should be working with kids!!!! Sheesh!
Utah man behind bars on child pornography charges facing new felony charges
by RaeAnn Christensen
(KUTV) - A Lehi man already serving time for child pornography faces new charges. This all started with the arrest of a Bountiful doctor earlier this year. Robert Edwin Francis hasn't even been sentenced yet for his first case. That's set for January 2018. But as of December 27th, 2017, in addition to that, he's now facing four new felony child sex abuse charges.
November 30th, 2017 according to court documents, Francis took a plea agreement, a guilty plea to be sentenced less than 144 months for his involvement of knowingly receiving and producing child pornography. The investigation stemmed from a case with Bountiful doctor Nathan Ward (2nd story on link) who was charged with sex abuse and sex exploitation.
Court documents, in that case, said two screen names "discussed sexually abusing and sharing sexually explicit photos of children."
Francis is behind bars in Tooele County for that case and was charged with four new felonies on December 27th, 2017 as well as two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of forcible sexual abuse. “This dates back about six or seven years, but yes these are brand new charges.” Lance Bastian is the Deputy Utah County Attorney. He said the alleged victim recently confided to a hospital nurse. “She made a disclosure to the nurse which then caused a reporting party to go ahead and contact law enforcement about it.”
According to court documents the alleged abuse started back in 2010 or 2011, the girl was just eight or nine years old, she said the abuse continued for several years. Bastian said Francis and the alleged victim knew each other. ‘I don't have any reason to believe that there would be other victims in this case.”
Francis is scheduled to be back in court January 25th, 2018 to be sentenced for the child pornography case. Ward is scheduled for a roll call hearing January 19th, 2018.
Oklahoma man faces child sex assault charge
A Muskogee man was being held in the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility on Wednesday on $100,000 bond after being charged with child sexual abuse and resisting an officer, according to Muskogee County District Court documents.
Christian George Holley, 27, allegedly had sexual contact with an 11-year-old between May 1 and Dec. 21, the documents state.
When officers attempted to arrest Holley on Dec. 21, Holley resisted arrest by breaking an officer's grip and pulling away from Muskogee Police Officers Jessica Yarbrough and Justin Wardour. Holley refused to comply with officers' commands and told them "you are going to have to shoot me," during his arrest.
Holley will be back in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 10.
Idaho man charged for sexual abuse of minor
By JOHNATHAN HOGAN
An Idaho Falls man was charged Tuesday for a report that he sexually abused a minor.
Findlay Malcolm Jenkins, 68, reportedly touched a 9-year-old girl inappropriately several times from June 8 to June 13, according to court documents. The victim told her mother about the touching and the woman then cut off the girl’s contact with Jenkins and reported the incident to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
During a forensic interview, the victim said Jenkins touched her inappropriately five or six times beneath her underwear and told her not to tell anybody.
Jenkins told investigators he did not penetrate the victim with his fingers and he denied raping the victim.
Jenkins told investigators the touching happened suddenly while he was playing with the victim. He said it was intentional, but he wasn’t sure why he had done it. Jenkins added that he and the victim had played physically before, but it had not been inappropriate.
Jenkins said he had been depressed since his wife’s passing, and blamed his actions on loneliness. Jenkins denied touching other children or being interested in child pornography, but said he had accidentally seen child pornography from a pop-up several years ago.
Jenkins was charged with child sexual abuse of a minor under 16, punishable with up to 25 years in prison. He was released from jail without bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 18.
No comments:
Post a Comment