How Could You? Hall of Shame-David Coyle 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 Breckenridge, Michigan, foster father David Coyle,58, ” was charged with one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13 in an ongoing state police investigation that may yield more allegations, said Gratiot County Prosecutor Keith Kushion.”

“Already charged with one count of sexually assaulting a foster child who lived in his home, a Breckenridge man arraigned last week could face more once a police investigation is complete.”

“If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to life in prison, Kushion said.

The assault occurred between 2014 and Jan. 29, 2016 when the victim and other foster children were living at Coyle’s home, according to court records.

The children were since adopted by another family living outside of Gratiot County; that family reported the alleged assault to their sheriff who then referred the case to state police at the Lakeview Post.

State police continue to investigate the allegations, including the possibility that other children who lived as foster children at Coyle’s home ­may also be victims of sexual assault.

“We anticipate additional charges when the investigation is complete,” Kushion said, noting those could come as early as this week, depending on the investigation.

Coyle is scheduled for a probable cause conference in the Gratiot County Courthouse Thursday and a preliminary hearing Oct. 14 at 2:30 p.m.”

Foster father charged with sexual abuse of child[The Morning Sun 10/4/16 by Lisa Yanick-Jonaitis]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“Already facing one count of sexually assaulting a child placed in his care, a Gratiot County foster father was arraigned Friday on nine additional rape charges.

David Coyle, 58 of Breckenridge was originally scheduled for a preliminary examination Friday on one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13; in this case, a foster child placed in Coyle’s care by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Instead, he was arraigned in front of District Court Judge Stewart McDonald on nine more first degree criminal sexual conduct charges, all involving penetration and all with a child under the age of 13.

First degree criminal sexual conduct carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to life if convicted.

McDonald advised Coyle —who attended the arraignment via video camera from the Gratiot County Jail— of the nine new counts and noted that all were the same charge and contained similar allegations; Coyle elected not to have each charge read separately into the record.

In light of the new charges, McDonald raised Coyle’s bond to $1 million cash or surety.

Coyle was charged in Sept. on the first count, which stemmed from an incident that occurred with a foster child between 2014 and Jan. 29, 2016.

Both state police and prosecutors noted at the time of that charge that the investigation was ongoing and more charges were likely coming.

State police also confirmed that the same child victim in the original charge had already told adults about inappropriate contact by Coyle in 2013.

That child, who along with some of his siblings was placed by the Department of Human Services in David Coyle’s foster home in Breckenridge while his mother was incarcerated told his mother during a visitation in 2013 that Coyle came to the child’s bed while he was sleeping.

The mother, who is unnamed by the Morning Sun to protect the victim’s identity, said her son confided in her in 2013 that Coyle came into his room late one night, pulled his pants down and touched his genitalia.

Pretending to be asleep, the boy was sure his foster father took photos of him with his pants down, the mother said.

Patrick Myers, a children’s services specialist with DHS at the time and the family’s case worker was notified then of the allegation by the mother and state police conducted an investigation at Coyle’s home, confirmed Detective Sgt. Christopher Frayre.

A trooper interviewed the child and the Coyles and also conducted a brief investigation, however no evidence of the alleged contact was discovered and the child and his siblings remained in the Coyle home until early 2016.

Coyle has been licensed as a foster home since 2007 and the state has placed 25 children in his home over those years, said Bob Wheaton, a communications manager and public information officer with the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Protecting the safety and well-being of children is a top priority of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services,” Wheaton said. “We thoroughly investigate child abuse/neglect complaints that meet the criteria in the Child Protection Law and take appropriate action if we find evidence of abuse or neglect.”

If there is evidence that a foster parent abused or neglected a child, DHHS would also conduct a licensing investigation, Wheaton said.

Most recently, three foster children who had been placed in the home beginning on Sept. 8 this year were placed in a new home on Sept. 15, Wheaton said.

Policy prevented Wheaton from revealing the exact reason those children were moved from the Coyle home.

Coyle is scheduled for a preliminary hearing for all 10 charges Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.”

Rape charges against Breckenridge foster father now total 10 [The Morning Sun 10/14/16 by Lisa Yanick-Jonaitis]

Update 2:“A former Breckenridge foster father accused of sexually assaulting children in his care will face sentencing next month after entering a plea agreement with prosecutors.

David Coyle, 58, pleaded no contest to two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with two separate victims who were younger than 13 at the time, a felony that carries a mandatory 25-year sentence if convicted.

No contest is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped eight additional charges of the same and agreed to a fixed sentencing recommendation of 30 to 50 years, said Gratiot County Prosecutor Keith Kushion.

Coyle was charged in September on the first count, which stemmed from an incident that occurred with a foster child between 2014 and Jan. 29, 2016.

Both state police and prosecutors noted at the time of that charge that the investigation was ongoing and more charges were likely coming and they did; nine addition charges were added in October and Coyle’s bond was raised to $1 million.

“State police did an excellent job with this investigation and in their arrest of Coyle,” Kushion said. “They were able to get a full confession to what he had done.”

State police also confirmed that the child victim in the original charge had already told adults about inappropriate contact by Coyle in 2013.

That child, who along with some of his siblings was placed by the Department of Human Services in David Coyle’s foster home in Breckenridge while his mother was incarcerated told his mother during a visitation in 2013 that Coyle came to the child’s bed while he was sleeping.

The mother, who is unnamed by the Morning Sun to protect the victim’s identity, said her son confided in her in 2013 that Coyle came into his room late one night, pulled his pants down and touched his genitalia.

Pretending to be asleep, the boy was sure his foster father took photos of him with his pants down, the mother said.

Patrick Myers, a children’s services specialist with DHS at the time and the family’s case worker was notified then of the allegation by the mother and state police conducted an investigation at Coyle’s home, confirmed Detective Sgt. Christopher Frayre.

A trooper interviewed the child and the Coyles and also conducted a brief investigation, however no evidence of the alleged contact was discovered and the child and his siblings remained in the Coyle home until early 2016.

Kushion said that during current investigation police discovered many more potential victims from years before and obtained a confession from Coyle as to his actions, but no physical evidence like photographs to support additional criminal charges were found.

Until his arrest Coyle had been licensed as a foster home since 2007 and the state has placed 25 children in his home over those years, said Bob Wheaton, a communications manager and public information officer with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Most recently, three foster children who had been placed in the home beginning on Sept. 8 this year were placed in a new home on Sept. 15, Wheaton said.

Coyle is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 6 in front of Circuit Court Judge Randy Tahvonen.”

Breckenridge foster father faces sex assault sentencing [The Morning Sun 1/11/17 by Lisa Yanick-Jonaitis]

“A former Breckenridge foster father who pleaded no contest to two counts of sexually assaulting children placed in his care will spend at least three decades in prison after his sentencing in Gratiot County Monday.

David Coyle will be 88-years-old before he is first up for parole in a 30 to 50 year sentence handed down by Gratiot County Circuit Court Judge Randy Tahvonen.

Coyle pleaded no contest late last year to two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct; in exchange, prosecutors dropped eight identical additional charges.

A first degree criminal sexual conduct conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and while a no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, it is treated as such for sentencing purposes.

oyle, who acknowledged in court documents that he will likely die in prison was initially charged in September on one of those counts, which stemmed from an incident that occurred with a foster child between 2014 and Jan. 29, 2016.

Both state police and prosecutors noted at the time of that charge that the investigation was ongoing and more charges were likely coming and they did; nine addition charges were added in October and Coyle’s bond was raised to $1 million.

State police confirmed last year that the child victim in the original charge had already told adults about inappropriate contact by Coyle in 2013.

That child, who along with some of his siblings was placed by the Department of Human Services in David Coyle’s foster home in Breckenridge while his mother was incarcerated told his mother during a visitation in 2013 that Coyle came to the child’s bed while he was sleeping.

The mother, who is unnamed by the Morning Sun to protect the victim’s identity, said her son confided in her in 2013 that Coyle came into his room late one night, pulled his pants down and touched his genitalia.

Pretending to be asleep, the boy was sure his foster father took photos of him with his pants down, the mother said.

Patrick Myers, a children’s services specialist with DHS at the time and the family’s case worker was notified then of the allegation by the mother and state police conducted an investigation at Coyle’s home, confirmed Detective Sgt. Christopher Frayre.

A trooper interviewed the child and the Coyles and also conducted a brief investigation, however no evidence of the alleged contact was discovered and the child and his siblings remained in the Coyle home until early 2016.

Gratiot County Prosecutor Keith Kushion said that during the recent investigation police discovered many more potential victims from years before and obtained a confession from Coyle as to his actions, but no physical evidence like photographs to support additional criminal charges were found.

Until his arrest Coyle had been licensed as a foster home since 2007 and the state has placed 25 children in his home over those years, said Bob Wheaton, a communications manager and public information officer with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Most recently, three foster children who had been placed in the home beginning on Sept. 8 this year were placed in a new home on Sept. 15, Wheaton said.”

Gratiot County foster father gets decades in prison for child sex crimes[The Morning Sun 2/6/17 by Lisa Yanick-Jonaitis]