How Could You? Hall of Shame-Herbert King UPDATED

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 Columbus, Ohio, foster father Herbert King was arrested “on the east side after they say he sexually abused one of the teenagers he took in to his home.

Herbert King is facing charges of sexual battery after a 17-year-old living in his group home on Barkwillow Lane called police and his grandmother saying he had been “raped.”

According to court documents, King had been “engaging in sexual intercourse” with the boy since February and had “two video surveillance cameras operating inside his bedroom.”

Last week, prosecutors charged King with sexual battery after they say his DNA matched the DNA inside the teen’s rape kit.

ABC 6/FOX 28 contacted Franklin County Children Services about the case. A spokesperson says a total of four children were placed in the home, which is associated with Buckeye Ranch.

Herbert faced a judge Friday. He has already posted his $10,000 bond.”

Foster Father Accused of Raping Teen in Group Home[ABC 4/23/15 by Elizabeth Faugl]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

 

Update:”A grand jury just handed down a 12-count indictment against a foster dad who police say sexually abused one of his foster kids for two months.

The mother and grandmother of the 17-year-old listed in the indictment say the teen called them last month. He claimed Herbert King, his foster dad, had been raping him in his east side foster home since February.

“He said Mr. King had taken him out of his room to his bedroom where there were cameras,” the teen’s grandmother told ABC 6/FOX 28 through tears.

The boy’s mother said he had gone to stay with King over a year ago as she battled a drug addiction.

“The hurt I put my kids through with my addiction,” said the mother. “Now being clean, the thought of not being able to be there to protect him before, during, and after really makes me mad.”

King became a foster father through the Buckeye Ranch agency in 2010. CEO Nick Rees said he was an “exemplary” employee who passed every weekly home visit.

“At no point in time did this young man ever tell his caseworker that something was going on,” said Rees.

Rees said he was also called back in March concerning the sexual abuse allegations. At that time, he said four boys were in King’s care, which gave King nearly $200 a day. Rees removed all boys from the home immediately and handed King a letter of revocation regarding his certification to foster Thursday.

“When something like this happens,” said Rees, “it flies in the face of what we stand for. The long term effects for these children will not be good.”

Police first arrested King for sexual abuse last week when they say lab results linked King’s DNA to the DNA found in his foster kid’s rape kit. Each of the 12 counts listed in Thursday’s indictment comes with a five year maximum sentence. King is expected in court on that indictment next week.”

Foster Father Indicted on 12 Counts of Sexual Abuse Against Teen[ABC  4/23/15 by Elizabeth Faugl]

Update 2:”A South Side man who had been considered “an exemplary foster parent” was sentenced today to two years in prison for having sexual relations with a 17-year-old boy in his care.

Herbert C. King Jr., 42, of Barkwillow Lane pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual battery.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David E. Cain imposed the prison sentence on two counts and put King on probation for five years on the other counts, which will begin when King is released from prison.

If King violates the terms of probation, he will go back to prison for another five years, the judge said. He also must register as a sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life.

King did not speak during the hearing, which the boy did not attend.

Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Hunt said the boy was placed in King’s home in April 2014. In mid February, King solicited sex from the boy, she said. From then until March 7, they engaged in oral and anal sex six or seven times.

The boy told his grandmother about the relationship, and both contacted Columbus police on March 8. A hospital examination of the boy on March 9 recovered semen containing King’s DNA, Hunt said.

There was no evidence that King instigated any of the conduct through force, she said.

Although the age of consent in Ohio is 16, state law prohibits anyone who is acting as a guardian or in place of a parent from engaging in sexual conduct with a person in their care.

Hunt didn’t ask for a specific sentence but recommended that the judge impose “substantial prison time.”

Defense attorney Sam Shamansky said the two-year sentence followed by probation “was appropriate given that my client had no record and the alleged conduct was consensual.”

He said King disputes the facts “but didn’t want to go to trial or put the young man through a trial.”

The boy was placed by Franklin County Children Services with King, who had been certified through Buckeye Ranch, a foster-care provider.

At the time of King’s indictment in April, Nick Rees, the president and CEO of the Buckeye Ranch, said King had been licensed since 2010 and often handled the type of youths whom agencies struggle to place.

King’s clean criminal-background check and dedication, Rees said, made him seem “an exemplary foster parent.”

He had been caring for four teenage boys at the time the investigation was launched. All were removed from his home on March 9. Buckeye Ranch asked for his license to be revoked by the state when he was indicted. ”

Former foster dad pleads guilty to sex charges[The Columbus Dispatch 7/6/15 by John Futty]

Update 3:“A foster father who was serving a two-year sentence for sexually abusing his foster son withdrew his guilty plea. Now, Herbert King wants to take the case to trial.

A grand jury indicted King on 12 counts of sexual battery earlier this year after a 17-year-old foster boy in his care told his family that King had been raping him repeatedly.

Police say they found King’s DNA in the teenager’s underwear. They also claim the sexual abuse took place in front of King’s bedroom security cameras.

This summer, King’s attorney negotiated a deal with prosecutors which kept the victim from taking the stand and locked King up for two years. King now feels he made a mistake when making his guilty plea and wants his case heard before a panel of his peers.

The teen’s family has been receiving subpoenas to testify in the case.

If a jury finds King guilty on all 12 counts, he could face up to 60 years in prison.”

Foster Father Wants to Withdraw Guilty Plea, Take Sex Abuse Case to Trial [Fox 28 9/8/15 by Elizabeth Faugl]

Update 4:“A former foster father who was sentenced in July to two years in prison for having sex with a teenager in his care has been released after a judge issued a new sentence after a mistake was discovered on Herbert C. King Jr.’s plea form.

King, 43, pleaded guilty at his original sentencing hearing to four counts of sexual battery involving a 17-year-old boy. In addition to prison time, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David E. Cain placed him on probation for five years.

However, the parties quickly discovered that the plea form listed King as a Tier II sex offender, rather than the more serious Tier III status required for his crimes. King filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea, which Cain approved.

On Feb. 10, King pleaded guilty to the same offenses, with the Tier III designation, which requires him to register as a sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life.

Cain released him on the 301 days he had served in jail and again imposed the five years of probation. The conditions of probation include no contact with any minors. If he violates probation, the judge could send him to prison for five years.

“Given the circumstances, I think it was an equitable result,” said Sam Shamansky, King’s attorney. “He’s a lifetime (sex offender) registrant and everyone moves on with their respective lives.”

Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Hunt had requested “a substantial prison sentence” based on King’s relationship with the victim, said Prosecutor Ron O’Brien.

The teenager was placed in King’s home by Franklin County Children Services in April 2014. He told police that he and King engaged in oral and anal sex several times in February and March of 2015. There were no allegations that force was involved.

Although the age of consent in Ohio is 16, state law prohibits anyone who is acting as a guardian or in place of a parent from engaging in sexual conduct with a person in their care.

King, of Barkwillow Lane on the South Side, had been certified as a foster parent by the Buckeye Ranch. ”

Courts: Foster parent who had sex with teen released early after plea form error [Dispatch 2/26/16 by John Futty]