Alleged Molestations in Public Places Alarm Parents in Kentucky

Lexington, KY, Herald-Leader ^ | 08-15-03 | Meehan, Mary

[Theodore R.]

Posted on Fri, Aug. 15, 2003

Alleged molestations in public places alarm parents

By Mary Meehan HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

Susan Barberie never leaves her two children unattended when they are away from home -- not for a minute.

But the case of Nicholasville resident Terry Adkins, who is accused or suspected of sexually abusing children in at least five counties, has her on even higher alert.

"It's appalling and it makes you just want to hold your child closer," said Barberie, a board member of the Southeast Lexington MOMS Club.

Adkins is charged with child sex-abuse crimes in Scott, Jessamine and Boone counties, and may face similar charges in Boyle and Mercer counties. His wife, Jane, has been charged in Scott County, and both are facing federal child pornography charges.

The alleged abuse took place in public places such as libraries and parks, and often capitalized on children who were alone for just minutes, police say.

The boldness of the crimes, and the publicity that has surrounded them, has parents across the Bluegrass re-examining how they take care of their children, and second-guessing the safety of seemingly safe places.

While experts urge parents to use caution, local officials say the safety of children in public places has long been a concern, and that their safety systems continue to expand.

"It's definitely something we take into consideration more and more each year," said Chuck Ellis, the head of Lexington parks and recreation.

Protecting children in public places is "something we think about every day," said Greg Davis, manager of marketing and communications for the Lexington Public Library.

For example, even before the Adkins case, the Lexington library had created a "walk-around committee." Teams of staff members, a man and a woman, walk the library every hour, even checking the bathrooms to make sure no one is breaking library rules or acting suspiciously. A new and expanded surveillance system should be in place by the end of the year, Davis said.

Lexington parks and recreation employees are trained in keeping children safe and spotting suspicious behavior. Every summer employee gets the same training, Ellis said. Bushes and overgrown vegetation are trimmed to avoid creating niches blocked from public view.

Although Adkins is charged with molesting a 7-year-old girl at the Scott County Public Library, the building that opened in 2000 was designed with safety in mind, said Director Earlene Arnett. The library floor has an open plan and the information desk is centrally located, allowing staff members to view most of the building. There are even shorter shelves in the children's section to allow staff members a better view.

"This all goes to show you that bad things can happen to good people and good places," said Arnett, who said a new surveillance system has been installed since the attack.

Although pedophiles often hang out where children are, Adkins' alleged behavior was "very brazen," said Nancy McBride, director of prevention for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Va. "Generally, a child molester's worst fear is detection."

And, according to local officials, the Adkins case is very unusual. Arnett of the Scott County library couldn't recall a similar one in her 30 years of serv-ice. Capt. Howard Rupard, coordinator of security for Lexington parks, said he's also been on the job 30 years and can't recall an arrest for a sexual assault on a child in a Lexington park.

Still, one such assault is too many, and these alleged crimes have left those involved reeling.

"It's been extremely devastating to the library" staff, said Robin Ison, executive director of the Harrodsburg Library, where a 10-year-old boy allegedly was molested while playing a computer game. "Because we feel as a staff we are very alert, this is extremely frustrating."

McBride said it's normal for anxiety levels to rise when a rash of assaults occurs. But, she said, "the answer is not to put your head in the sand."

The anxiety that people feel can get them involved. If the case occurred at the library, for example, now is a chance to volunteer there. Even starting a neighborhood watch can help make a community safer for children, and lessen parents' fears.

Parents should "become educated and aware of the issue. They need to get the mystery and secrecy away from this," she said. Role-playing with your child -- acting out specific situations and practicing how to behave -- can help reinforce lessons such as "don't talk to strangers."

If child-ren have questions, don't avoid the subject. "If they ask a direct question give them a direct answer," McBride said. "You don't have to go into graphic details."

As for local officials, they will try to address problems before they happen. Ellis said his office is pondering a policy banning cell phones from dressing and locker rooms because of the possibility they could be used to take pictures.

"I never thought I'd have to deal with that," he said.

Reach Mary Meehan at (859) 231-3217 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3217, or mmeehan1@herald-leader.com.