Nanny accused of assaulting children

June 25, 2007

Adapted from the Eagle

A mother of two ardently defended her choice of nannies.

She said she'd again hire the 27-year-old man—even though her comments came during a trial in which two of her daughters' playmates have accused him of indecent assault.

The man, an off-duty third grade teacher, was working for the woman’s family last summer taking care of her two children when two of the daughter’s friends, girls who are now ages 11 and 12, accused him of inappropriately touching their chests and genitals.

The woman testified that if the county children and youth services had not demanded that she get rid of the nanny, she would have kept him as a babysitter.

“He's by far the best we've ever had,” the mother testified.

The woman said the nanny took her children on numerous outings, including trips to the park and museum. She said he acted as a "surrogate parent" and taught her children, a 6-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, to be respectful and courteous.

"He gave them the tender loving care and physical attention they demanded,” the mother said.

On the flip side, she had nothing positive to say about one of the girls making the allegations.

She called the girl, a liar and a "drama queen."

"You can't trust what she tells you,” the woman said. "She always has to have attention."

She acknowledged that she told police officers who were investigating the case that she believed she was "being set up for a lawsuit."

She said she owns 2 acres of property "and people think I'm a millionaire."

Outside the courtroom, the two girls' parents said they have not filed suit and have no plans to do so.

"There is no lawyer or lawsuits,” one mother said. "This isn't about money. This is about the children."

The two girls testified and said the man inappropriately touched them while they were swimming and while inside his employer’s home.
The defense has included a handful of people from the community who said they know the man and believe him to be of upstanding character around children.

The defense also produced a psychiatrist who testified that the two girls, suffering attention deficit disorder, could have reacted inappropriately or made exaggerations because of the disorder. Or, the doctor suggested, the medications they were prescribed to treat the disorder could have affected their thinking.

But, the assistant district attorney who is prosecuting the case countered by calling a different psychiatrist to the witness stand.

The second psychiatrist testified that exaggeration is neither an effect of the disorder nor the drugs the girls had been prescribed.
 
Additionally, he said the first psychiatrist should not have given a diagnosis for the girls because he had never met or treated them.

The accused, who faces charges of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors, has been suspended from his job at the elementary school.

He is not accused of any assault on school grounds or of the school children.