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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

No Tattle Tales on Sexual Assault, Mom Says

WHEATON, Ill. (CN) - A mother claims her 7-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by eight boys at Outreach Community Ministries' program, whose employees warned the students "not to be 'tattle tales,' or they would not be permitted any play time."

Jane Doe says the summer camp's employees took no steps to protect her daughter even after she asked one staff member, "Do you want me to die?" In this case, the mother says, "Jill Doe was asked to apologize to the staff member for her outburst."

Doe says her daughter was sexually abused at Outreach Community Ministries' facility in St. Charles, in its transport van, at a park and at a public swimming pool.

The girl, who is now 10, attended the summer camp and after-school program from June through September 2008. At the time, the program had 12 boys and only two girls, and the its employees were "aware that certain of the boys enrolled in the summer camp and after school program were capable of sexual assault at times," the mother says.

One boy told a staff member that "'nasty stuff' was being done to children on the playground" inside a "tube-shaped slide," the mom says. She says there were numerous "visual obstructions" on the playground, including a patio structure and a covered slide and wood panels, that prevented staff members from adequately supervising the children.

As a result, her daughter was sexually abused several times on the playground, her mom says.

At one point during camp, "Jill Doe pleaded with a staff member of the Outreach Community Center to allow her to wear a shirt over her bathing suit, to cover herself while at the Carol Stream public swimming pool," the mom says. "Outreach Community Center denied Jill Doe's request, and Jill Doe then asked a staff member of the Outreach Community Center, 'Do you want me to die?!' This fact was reported to Jane Doe and to a counselor at Outreach Community Center, and Jill Doe was asked to apologize to the staff member for her outburst."

The Does seek damages for negligence. They are represented in DuPage County Court by John Malm of Naperville.

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