Agree--they were either very naive or in denial because they liked the gifts for the kids
Remember that the Second Mile was a program for disadvantaged and “at risk” kids. The boys who became Sandusky’s victims didn’t exactly come from loving, stable two parent households and that’s why they were easy prey, that’s the kind of thing a pedophile counts on. But there were complaints and concerns raised by some of these kid’s families that fell on deaf ears.
Sandusky met his “adopted’ son through Second Mile and Matt Sandusky became the Sandusky’s foster child before being legally adopted. Matt’s biological mother, Debra Long fought the court system over her son's placement in the Sandusky home. It’s not clear why Matt was removed from his mother’s home but while Matt never told her any details, she knew that something was terribly, terribly wrong, tried to do something about it but her concerns were dismissed as just some “crazy” birth mother objecting to her child’s removal and placement in a foster home.
Records provided to AP by Long in December show that after Matt Sandusky attempted suicide in 1996, his probation officer wrote, "The probation department has some serious concerns about the juvenile's safety and his current progress in placement with the Sandusky family."
Despite those concerns, probation and child welfare officials recommended continued placement with the Sandusky family and the judge overseeing his case agreed. Centre County President Judge Thomas Kistler, who joined the bench in 1997 and was not involved in Matt Sandusky's juvenile case, said he saw "legitimate questions" about the decision to keep Long's son in the Sandusky home, but "I can't shed any light on them."
Speaking generally, he said nearly every birth parent objects when the state decides to remove a child from the home.
"These kinds of decisions made by judges and social workers are very emotionally charged. I don't think the parents have ever agreed with me on any of the cases where I've taken the kids," he said.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57461673-504083/jerry-sandusky-case-matt-sanduskys-biological-mom-raised-concerns-about-the-former-psu-coach-as-far-back-as-1994/
And in 1998 the mother of victim number 6 went to the authorities after she found out that Sandusky had been showering naked with her son.
According to Detective Ronald Schreffler's testimony, he and State College Police Department Detective Ralph Ralston, with the consent of the mother of Victim 6, eavesdrop on two conversations the mother of Victim 6 has with Sandusky. Sandusky says he has showered with other boys. When she asks if Sandusky touched her son's genitals, he says, "I don't think so...maybe." The mother tries to make Sandusky promise never to shower with a boy again, but he refuses. She tells Sandusky that he cannot see her son anymore.
According to the testimony of Jerry Lauro, an investigator with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, he and Schreffler interviewed Sandusky, and Sandusky admits to showering naked with Victim 6, to hugging Victim 6 while in the shower and that it was wrong. Schreffler advises Sandusky not to shower with a boy again. Sandusky says he will not. The case is closed after then-Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar decides there will be no criminal charge.
So here was another instance going back to 1998 where a mother of one of these kids was mortified when she learned what was happening, went to the authorities and nothing was done about it.
I wouldn’t be too quick to blame the parent or parents anymore than I would the victims. Remember that some of the victims testified that they were threatened by Sandusky if they ever told the truth, but also some of them were also very “confused” and conflicted by the kindness, the gifts, the trips, the attention they received. On one hand they knew that what was happening to them was wrong or “creepy”, but it was also probably the first time in their young lives anyone did anything “nice” for them too. They were at the time really too young to fully understand and most of them, coming from “bad” homes, they perhaps didn’t know what “normal” was.
The number of people, supposedly responsible adults in positions of authority and trust, who could have done something to stop the abuse, was not just limited to Penn State officials. A whole lot of people let these kids down even when some of the families of Second Mile kids.
Excellent post. Thank you
A whole lot of people let these kids down even when some of the families of Second Mile kids tried to report it to the authorities and were dismissed because Sandusky was such a great guy, well connected and well respected in the community.
Thanks for the reply
Very well presented
So, rather than examine each case on its individual merits, the judge defaults to generalities? Speaking generally, most people come to a stop at red lights, so applying the same logic, I would hope he's dismissed every ticket ever issued for running an intersection in his jurisdictioin.
They were at the time really too young to fully understand and most of them, coming from “bad” homes, they perhaps didn’t know what “normal” was.
So true.