r.The 44 days between a pedophilia allegation and an Oklahoma murder-suicide
Authorities couldn’t find Jeremiah Shawn Duffey after he was accused of molesting a child. More than a month later, authorities say, he killed his wife, a social media influencer.
Former Contra Costa Co. therapist accused of grooming, sexually abusing teen boy
The former employee was arrested earlier this month after Concord police said investigators found evidence supporting allegations that she had engaged in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old. ABC7 Eyewitness News is not naming the former employee, who is a San Francisco resident.
Charges involving child sex abuse have been filed, the District Attorney's Office said Monday.
The former employee is facing seven felony charges for alleged unlawful intercourse with a minor, sending harmful matter to a minor, being in possession of child or youth pornography, and other counts of sex abuse involving a minor, prosecutors said.
The teenager is identified in the claim only as John Doe because he is a minor. ABC7 Eyewitness News is also not naming his parents to protect his identity.
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Attorneys say the teenager was in custody at John A. Davis Juvenile Hall in Martinez when Contra Costa County assigned the temporary health worker to counsel him in 2024. He was 14 and she was 24.
"We had conversations about where he was mentally, and we trusted her," the teenager's mother said.
The claim alleges the counselor crossed professional boundaries and drew the teenager into increasingly personal and romantic conversations while he remained in custody.
"This woman used my child's most vulnerable moments to groom and make him believe she was his girlfriend," his mother said.
The teenager was released from juvenile hall in April but remained 17 years old and under the supervision of the Contra Costa County Probation Department, according to the claim.
Attorneys allege the former employee continued seeing him under the guise of therapy and then began having sexual contact with him.
Civil rights attorney John Burris, who is representing the family, said the counselor exploited the teenager she had been assigned to help.
"The reason he was there was having emotional and mental problems, and her job was to help solve those problems, to rehabilitate him, to teach him and understand that, and she did just the opposite," Burris said.
Concord police said they began investigating after receiving a tip from the county Probation Department. Police later arrested the former employee after finding evidence supporting the allegations. She was arrested earlier this month.
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Police said after the arrest that no additional alleged victims had been identified.
The claim, which is required before the family can file a lawsuit against the county, also accuses county and state workers of failing to recognize or report repeated warning signs.
"Accountability for every supervisor who is a mandated reporter who missed years of shades of red flags," attorney Katherine MacElhiney said.
Andrea Harner, a board member with the national nonprofit Darkness 2 Light, said mandated reporter training alone does not adequately prevent abuse. Harner said youth-serving institutions need specialized training focused on preventing abuse and identifying grooming before misconduct is reported.
"How to minimize opportunity, how to report responsibly, how to recognize signs of grooming. Because the whole thing is that a lot of these perpetrators will go into professions where they're not only with kids but with vulnerable kids," Harner said.
Advocates say such cases can go unreported because children may not recognize that they are being groomed or may fear they will not be believed.
The teenager's mother urged other parents not to dismiss their concerns.
"Trust your instinct. Something told me something was off, but I dismissed it because I couldn't believe that a professional in her capacity could do what she did," she said.
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Contra Costa Health said it is aware of the claim involving a former temporary employee and allegations involving a minor.
"Because this is an active legal and personnel matter, Contra Costa Health cannot provide additional comment at this time," the department said.
Attorneys representing the family said they are working to determine whether there may be other alleged victims.
‘Put this pervert behind bars:’ Central Florida man jailed in child sex abuse case, sheriff says
Joseph Spector, 38, faces charges of lewd or lascivious molestation
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Palm Coast man after detectives said a 17-month investigation found he sexually abused two young girls multiple times.
Investigators identified the suspect as Joseph Spector, 38, of Palm Coast. He was arrested on Saturday after deputies and Major Case Unit detectives apprehended him at a restaurant in Bunnell, the sheriff’s office said.
How the investigation began
The case started in February 2025, when the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) received a report alleging Spector inappropriately touched a minor, according to FCSO.
A DCF investigator then contacted an FCSO school resource deputy to assist with an interview at the victim’s school.
What detectives say victims reported
During the initial interview, the victim reported Spector inappropriately touched her breast during an incident in 2022, authorities said.
In a later interview with the First Coast Child Protection Team, the victim said Spector:
showed her pornographic material provided her alcohol engaged in frequent “cuddling sessions” multiple times a week, during which she said he sexually abused her also abused her sister in a similar manner
The second victim confirmed the “cuddling sessions” occurred with her as well, and reported an incident where Spector masturbated next to her, the sheriff’s office said.
Covert operation and interview
In April 2025, the sheriff’s office said the Major Case Unit conducted a covert operation in which Spector stated that while he may not remember everything that occurred, “he was sorry.”
Detectives interviewed Spector back in April, and said he denied the allegations. When confronted with statements from the covert operation, Spector said he did not recall making them, adding: “I don’t remember, and if it happened, I was drunk.”
Charges and bond
Spector was arrested and now faces two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation.
He was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and held on a $150,000 bond, according to FCSO.
Sheriff’s message, reporting resources
Following Spector’s arrest, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly issued the following statement:
“I commend those two brave victims, as this investigation never would have happened without their courage to speak up and come forward with what this pervert did to them.
From there, this case showed excellent teamwork between our Major Case Unit, the school resource deputy who took the initial report, deputies who assisted in the apprehension, and our partners at the Florida Department of Children and Families during the entire investigation to put this pervert behind bars and held accountable.
I hope he goes to prison for a long time."
Anyone who is a victim of child sexual abuse, or knows someone in Flagler County who is, is urged to report it to FCSO at 386-313-4911 or to the DCF Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873, or online at reportabuse.myflfamilies.com.
Pulaski town council suspends councilman charged with child sex abuse material
Council unanimously passes resolution urging Steven Erickson to resign by Sept. 1
– The Pulaski Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to suspend Councilman Steven Erickson, effective immediately following his federal arrest on charges of receiving and distributing child sex abuse material while serving on the council.
The FBI arrested Erickson on Thursday, July 22. The council called the emergency session in response, citing the severity of the charges and the need to protect the community.
Council cites ‘publicly released evidence’
Mayor Shannon Collins released a written statement after the vote, acknowledging Erickson’s legal right to the presumption of innocence while defending the council’s swift action.
“Although Mr. Erickson is entitled to the presumption of innocence in this criminal matter, the publicly released evidence required this council to act promptly to protect the community’s best interest,” Collins said. “The town council urges Mr. Erickson to resign immediately so that the town can move forward.”
Collins said the charges left the council no choice but to act.
“The conduct Mr. Erickson is accused of is odious and has no place in our community and society,” she said. “If he does not resign, the town council will act to remove him in accordance with the town charter.”
Residents applaud the decision
When the council passed the resolution, members of the audience applauded. Resident Melinda Musick was among those in attendance.
“I’m very proud of our little town,” Musick said. “They’ve never made me more proud than they did tonight because they did what was right for the community. And they stepped up.”
Musick said she believes resignation is the only viable path forward for Erickson.
“I think it would be in his best interest to resign,” she said. “I don’t think it would be a good idea for him to come back here one bit — now that everyone in town knows what he’s accused of. I don’t see the FBI charging somebody without some sort of proof that they did something wrong.”
What happens next
Erickson has until Sept. 1 to formally resign. If he does not step down, the council will vote to remove him from office in accordance with the town charter. The town will begin searching for a replacement following his resignation or removal.
Collins said the council’s unanimous vote reflects the community’s priorities.
“That really means something because that’s our whole goal on everything — to do what is best for our town,” she said. “We had to step up and had to do what we felt was correct.”
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