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Hattiesburg American
Posted May 20, 2004 5:28
Parents of two girls removed Wednesday from an at-risk home in Petal said Thursday they are furious with state officials over their investigation of alleged abuse and demanded that the state provide them with some answers.
"They called me at 9:30 p.m. last night and told me that I had to come and get my daughter, but would not tell me why," said David Bakker of Chicago, whose 12-year-old daughter, Jessica, was one of 38 girls taken from the academy.
"I am furious. All I hear are that there allegations of physical and verbal abuse, but of course the state will not provide me with any documentation or proof."
Bakker, along with other parents, were not allowed to see their daughters until 3 p.m. Thursday when they were issued a court order by Forrest County Youth Court Judge Michael McPhail, telling him he could not place his daughter back at Bethel or any other unregistered place in Mississippi.
"I spent almost an hour in there with those people and I still have no answers," Bakker said. "I really don’t know what I am going to do with my daughter now.
Jessica Bakker, who had been at the academy for a month, said she was not aware of any abuse taking place at the academy.
"There was nothing bad going on," she said. "I liked Bethel, the people were nice and I felt like I fit in."
Herman Fountain Jr., director of the Bethel Academy for Girls in Petal, said Thursday that officials with DHS arrived at the academy shortly before lunch Wednesday
"They told us they were investigating some allegations of abuse," Fountain said. "They came in, put all the girls together and told us we could not have any contact with them."
Around 4 p.m. Wednesday, DHS officials said they had a judge’s order to remove all 38 girls from the property and called the Forrest County Sheriff’s Department to assist with transporting the girls, he said.
"We never saw an order or were told what the allegations were," Fountain said.
The Bethel Academy for Girls is operated by Bethel Baptist Church in Lucedale. The Bethel Academy for Boys, also located in Lucedale, has not been affected by the court order, said the academy’s director, John Fountain.
State Department of Human Services spokesman Rick Whitlow said Thursday the agency would have no comment.
"It’s a judicial matter, so you will need to contact the youth court of Forrest County," he said.
Under Mississippi law, youth court proceedings are confidential.