How Could You? Hall of Shame-Edmund Trent

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Hurt, Virginia, foster and adoptive father Edmund Wayne Trent, 57, was sentenced Thursday March 15 to 11 years in prison following February 2012 guilty pleas to 15 indecent liberties and 15 aggravated sexual battery charges on a girl in 1990 and 1991. The girl was 9 when the abuse began.

“According to the prosecutor, Trent sometimes watched the girl while her parents worked third shift at a plant in Altavista.

“Every night, he would come into her room and touch her,” said Haskins. “She never told anyone.”

The victim, now in her 30s, reported the crime last year after learning Trent was a foster parent and had adopted several children.

Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Boyd Arnold arranged for the victim to call Trent and confront him about the sexual abuse. Police taped the call.

The prosecutor said Trent admitted the crimes and apologized.

Trent’s wife, Betty Jo Trent, said the couple, married 23 years, has a daughter and five adopted children.

She said her husband was an assistant coach for his daughters’ softball teams and volunteered with youth groups at church. Trent also was involved in Altavista Little Theatre.

Trent worked as a mechanic at BGF Industries in Altavista before his arrest.

His daughter, 22, described him as a devoted father.

“I’ve never seen him do anything out of the way,” she said.

Trent’s attorney, Elmer Woodward of Blairs, pointed out Trent did not have a criminal record.

“This offense occurred 20 years ago. Few of us are the same person we were 20 years ago,” said Woodward. “Other than this, for 20 years he has been a good citizen.”

The prosecutor, however, called Trent an “accomplished dissembler” who lived a lie for 20 years.
Haskins praised the victim for finally coming forward.

“It has been a long time coming. It’s taken the victim a long time to come forward and lay this bill at the defendant’s feet. But that bill still has to be paid,” he said.

Trent, who sat through most of the proceedings with his head bowed, apologized for the crime.
“I’m sorry for what I did and apologize for what happened 20 years ago,” he said.

Judge Charles J. Strauss noted that Trent accepted responsibility by pleading guilty.

“You need to recognize the harm you’ve caused to her as a young child,” he said.

The judge sentenced Trent to two years in prison for each indecent liberties charge and three years for each aggravated sexual battery charge.

Strauss suspended all but 11 years.

After his release, Trent will have to be on supervised probation for five years and seek counseling.
He also must register as a sex offender and remain on good behavior.”

Hurt man gets 11-year sentence for sexual abuse
[AltaVista Journal 3/15/12 by Tim Davis]

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