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Lawsuit alleges children were abused in van to Peabody summer program
A lawsuit filed in Salem Superior Court yesterday alleges that a Revere transportation company hired by the Peabody School Department failed to protect four children who were allegedly physically abused by a bus monitor this summer.
The bus monitor is not identified in the lawsuit.
The Peabody School Department Interim Superintendent, Dr. Herbert Levine, said in an interview that he immediately suspended the 30-day contract with Ameriken after receiving the complaint on July 27 and retained the services of another company.
Ameriken Caring Services could not be reached for comment. According to its website, the company provides elderly care, including transportation and personal in home care services,
“When you hire a provider from Ameriken Caring Services you will be getting an experienced, background checked, referenced checked caregiver,” the website says. “Ameriken Caring Services will provide the best in quality and home care you can receive. Our clients will receive personalized care, companionship, assistance with meals, housekeeping, errands, transportation, and more.”
While the company's website doesn't indicate they have experience with students, Levine said Ameriken recently merged with another company that is more experienced at transporting children.
Newman said the abuse occurred for about a month before the children finally told their parents.
“They were afraid of this guy, he would cause them pain,” said Newman, who has handled childhood sex abuse cases for 25 years, including cases involving clergy in the Catholic Church. “So they were afraid but they did reveal it.”
Newman said some of the parents smelled alcohol on the monitor’s breath during July.
"We’re going to investigate this heavily and if I find any information related to criminal activity I will turn it over to the district attorney’s office,” Newman said before adding. “This case is particularly disturbing because the monitor assigned to protect the kids preyed on them. It’s even more egregious in some ways. We’ll follow the evidence and see where it leads.”
Newman said he will also investigate how much the city researched Ameriken Caring Services before hiring them.
“I’m not saying the City of Peabody is in any way culpable,” Newman said. “I just don’t know. The most important thing is we obtain solid factual information to find out how this happened in order to figure out how to prevent it.”
Justin A. Rice can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com.
The six children, ages 9 and 10 years old, were allegedly abused "on numerous occasions" during the month of July while riding a van run by Ameriken Caring Services, according to the lawsuit and Marblehead-based lawyer Jeffrey Newman.
Ameriken Caring Services Inc. of Revere is named as the defendant in the lawsuit, which was filed in Essex Superior Court.
"As a result of the bus company's negligence, the monitor, who was supposed to keep the children safe, in fact abused and molested'' the children, the lawsuit says. In some cases, the suit alleges, the monitor pinched the children, leaving black and blue marks.
The bus monitor is not identified in the lawsuit.
The Peabody School Department Interim Superintendent, Dr. Herbert Levine, said in an interview that he immediately suspended the 30-day contract with Ameriken after receiving the complaint on July 27 and retained the services of another company.
"We did our due diligence by doing CORI checks on the driver and monitor and we have them on file,” said Levine, who noted that the contract was signed before he took over as superintendent on July 18. “The company is licensed. We hired them to a 30-day contract to pick up and deliver six special education students to a summer program.”
This afternoon, the Essex District Attorney's office said it investigated and did not file charges. “This matter was investigated by Peabody Police and the Essex District Attorney’s Office. It was determined that was insufficient evidence to file criminal charges,'' said Essex District Attorney spokesman Steve O'Connell.
Ameriken Caring Services could not be reached for comment. According to its website, the company provides elderly care, including transportation and personal in home care services,
“When you hire a provider from Ameriken Caring Services you will be getting an experienced, background checked, referenced checked caregiver,” the website says. “Ameriken Caring Services will provide the best in quality and home care you can receive. Our clients will receive personalized care, companionship, assistance with meals, housekeeping, errands, transportation, and more.”
While the company's website doesn't indicate they have experience with students, Levine said Ameriken recently merged with another company that is more experienced at transporting children.
Newman said the abuse occurred for about a month before the children finally told their parents.
“They were afraid of this guy, he would cause them pain,” said Newman, who has handled childhood sex abuse cases for 25 years, including cases involving clergy in the Catholic Church. “So they were afraid but they did reveal it.”
Newman said some of the parents smelled alcohol on the monitor’s breath during July.
"We’re going to investigate this heavily and if I find any information related to criminal activity I will turn it over to the district attorney’s office,” Newman said before adding. “This case is particularly disturbing because the monitor assigned to protect the kids preyed on them. It’s even more egregious in some ways. We’ll follow the evidence and see where it leads.”
Newman said he will also investigate how much the city researched Ameriken Caring Services before hiring them.
“I’m not saying the City of Peabody is in any way culpable,” Newman said. “I just don’t know. The most important thing is we obtain solid factual information to find out how this happened in order to figure out how to prevent it.”
Justin A. Rice can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com.
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