Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

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

State Accused of Placing Girl With Rapist

PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) - Oregon took a 5-year-old girl from her parents and placed her in foster care with her grandmother and her grandmother's husband, who had twice been convicted of rape, and he raped her for 5 years until she reported it when she was 10, the girl, now a woman, claims in Multnomah County Court.

The Department of Human Services removed B.D. from her parents' home in 1993, and placed her in her grandmother's home, according to the complaint.

B.D. says David Purcell, her grandmother's husband, was convicted of raping his 14-year-old daughter in 1980. In 1987, Purcell was convicted again, of rape and sodomy, charges B.D. says were "related to incest."

After the plaintiff reported the years of abuse she suffered, Purcell was convicted a third time, on charges of sexual molestation, according to the complaint. Purcell is still in prison from that conviction.

The plaintiff demands $15.75 million for negligence and civil rights violations. She is represented by Kelly Clark with O'Donnell, Clark & Crew.

Follow @@karinapdx
Categories / Uncategorized

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...