Wednesday, September 9, 2015

On Pedophiles and Sexual Safety

Documenting here ... If you're on my facebook you've seen this news already.

Here's the media coverage from when it happened - when we were assured that Dominic's picture wasn't on the man's phone, etc.

From facebook on Tuesday:
I have debated posting this
And decided to because these are the kinds of issues that have to be drug into the light. These are things that all parents now have to worry about and it's compounded as a special needs parent because of all the things we will Never know because Dominic cannot tell us.
Rodney got a visit while I was at the dentist today from cspd - remember the ymca pedophile? Turns out They found a naked picture of Dominic on the guys hard drive. Taken in 2014. The only silver lining here is that D has not concept and is not traumatized. I cannot say the same about Rod and I. So tomorrow the police are coming to visit with Dominic. I have already advised them his speech issues are such they won't get anything but they have to anyway.

I have been on the phone with ymca management and am Expecting a call from their upper management tomorrow to tell me exactly what they will be doing to change policy and keep my child safe. If I cannot trust the fricking ymca who can I trust to keep him safe?

 ~~~
Then we spent an hour on the phone with one of my TMR colleagues who has been down this road herself and is a school psychologist.  She helped a ton - she was able to give us the perspective that because D never acted out, wet the bed, etc, that it was probable that there was no touching involved.  just creepy photos.
~~~~


from facebook today
So the police detective and the trained forensic investigator came over today. I gave ground rules before they got to meet Dominic - specifically that this was for them to get an impression of his verbal capacity (and lack thereof), and if they felt he was interviewable we could discuss how that could occur. That our primary objective was to maintain the status quo - which is D has no inkling of issues. They more than agreed and I called out the back for Dominic to come inside and meet our company. He came inside with a Baggie full of grasshoppers swimming in water and as soon as he saw them (not in uniform) he freaked and nearly ran outside in alarm. I got him calmed down and had him show the officers his grasshoppers. It took a whopping 10 seconds for them to agree with me that he will not be interviewed and we sent Dominic back outside. Here is what we know - the investigation is almost complete, there were hundreds of photos, including multiples of Dominic all from that same day last August. They will get the evidence to the DA. The da will figure out the charges and the arraignment will be sept 30. Based on the overwhelming evidence the detective said he would be shocked if the guy doesn't make a plea deal at some point in the legal wrangling - the evidence is such that no defense attorney would want it going before a jury. Odds are extremely good that Dominic will not have to go to court for any reason, tho that will be up to the DA And we would fight that because I don't want him in the energy. Overall, the meeting was good, they completely respected our wishes that They not traumatize him with questions (beyond what color is your grasshopper), and that we both be in the room The whole time.

~~~
Also today, I had a long conversation with the area executive director for the YMCA who will be in touch with me about the changes they will be making and who will be getting me an answer for my "where the hell was the staff" questions. 

thing is, Dominic's social skills have grown by leaps and bounds in the ymca summer camp program.  He's made friends, the campers and staff adore him, and he loves it.  he has never once indicated he didn't want to go (which we believe he would have if he was ever assaulted). We want to find a way that we can feel the YMCA will keep him safe.   I know we probably have a lawsuit here, and we haven't ruled that out. My gut instinct is that would be counterproductive and it would be better to work with them to fix their problems.  So i have offered to come to a presentation for their staff on working with autistic kiddos.   We shall see if they take me up on it.


And in the mean time, Dominic is oblivious and that is the silver lining here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry you are having to go through this. That is my worst nightmare that something could happen to my boy and he couldn't tell me. Thank God nothing happened to Dominic!!