Free Republic

An 11-year-old autistic Middleboro boy’s claim that he was sexually assaulted by another youth inside his foster home was dismissed as “consensual” sex by child welfare officials charged with protecting him, in a stunning case the boy’s family and school officials charge was plagued by missteps by the embattled Department of Children and Families. According to DCF investigative reports, police reports and letters, the boy — then 11 but with the cognitive ability of a 5- or 6-year-old, his father told police — was allegedly sexually assaulted by another youth in the foster home while the parents slept during the...

France isn't backing down with its threat to veto any resolution calling for war with Iraq and that has one local war veteran so furious that he's returning a medal of honor he received from the French government for his service during World War II. Calling it a 'Medal of dishonor' Ed Parks said France should be helping U.S. President George Bush in the crisis with Iraq, instead of opposing him. The Middleboro, Mass., veteran fought in the Battle of Normandy, helping to liberate France from the Germans. He said the French have forgotten what the United States did for...