Another Blast from the Past

Very interesting newspaper story published by the Akron Beacon Journal on 3/11/1992. This story shows a pattern of abuse and then hiding it that continues to this day. Reader of this blog will see similarities between this 1992 case and the ones that have been occurring at Victory Forge. Now don't you think that if this abusive and manipulative behaviour has been allegedly occurring for 17+ years, there has to be some truth in it?


Akron Beacon Journal (OH)
March 11, 1992
Section: METRO
Edition: 2 STAR
Page: D1

BRINKHAVEN KEPT QUIET STARK YOUTH HOME DIDN'T REPORT 16-YEAR-OLD SUMMIT GIRL'S ALLEGATIONS IN `86, AS REQUIRED BY OHIO LAW, WHEN SHE CHARGED SHE HAD SEX WITH FOUNDER'S SON-IN-LAW
DAVID KNOX, Beacon Journal staff writer

Stark County officials were unaware of complaints of sexual abuse brought nearly six years ago by a 16-year-old Summit County girl living at the Brinkhaven Homes for Youth because the homes' officials failed to alert authorities. Such notification is required by Ohio law.

The allegations were investigated by local police in August 1986, about two months after the girl left Brinkhaven and her relatives complained to Summit County Children Services, said Lawrence Township Police Chief Roy E. Mosely II.

The girl charged that she had sex with Alan Weierman, a Brinkhaven staff member, more than 30 times between August 1985 and June 1986, when she returned home, according to Lawrence Township police reports. Weierman is the son-in-law of Brinkhaven's founder, the Rev. William Brink, who is being investigated by a county grand jury because of allegations that he sexually abused two former residents. Weierman denied the allegations during the 1986 investigation. He could not be reached to comment Tuesday, in Fort Pierce, Fla., where he is director of Brinkhaven's home for unwanted children.

Mosely said his investigation found `sufficient probable cause' to prosecute Weierman, including a polygraph test given the girl and a calendar she kept of the alleged sexual encounters. However, no charges were filed because Massillon chief city prosecutor John Simpson indicated there was not enough evidence to corroborate the girl's allegations.

William Brink told police the charges were groundless, saying the girl admitted to fantasizing about Weierman in March, when she was questioned after talking to other residents, Mosely said. Brink also produced letters from residents stating the girl `had made the incident up.'

But another difficulty the investigation encountered was `the length of time that had elapsed' between the girl's departure from Brinkhaven and when police were called in, Mosely said in an Oct. 7, 1986, letter explaining to Summit County Children Services officials why the prosecutor was not filing charges.

That time gap would not have existed, according to Stark County Human Services officials, if Brinkhaven officials, instead of her family, had reported the allegations to authorities.

Judee Genetin, chief legal counsel for the department, said Ohio law requires all child care facilities to report `any suspicions' of abuse or neglect immediately. Genetin also questioned why Brinkhaven officials had questioned the girl and other residents about the allegations. `They're not supposed to investigate the allegations,' she said. `We do that.' Program director Ronald Lewis said the county would have been very interested in learning about the allegations in 1986 because officials already were very concerned about the number of complaints of excessive discipline and other problems at Brinkhaven during the mid-1980s.