How Could You? Hall of Shame-Roger Barriault

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 Bristol, Connecticut, guardian Roger Barriault, 63, “has been accused of sexually assaulting a girl in his care and fathering a child with her, officials said.

Roger Barriault is charged with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor, the Bristol Police Department said in a news release.

Barriault was the legal guardian of the girl for nearly a decade, consistently sexually assaulted her and fathered her child when she was 13, according to the warrant for his arrest. The victim also told police that Barriault raped her daily for nearly a decade when she was a child until she was 20 years old — and estimated he assaulted her up to 4,000 times.

The warrant states Barriault first met the victim in 2004 when she was placed in the care of another person by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. She told police that Barriault began sexually assaulting her that year and that the assaults continued when she was transferred into his care a year later.

However, Peter Yazbak, a spokesperson for DCF, said “Mr. Barriault and his wife are not foster parents for the department.”

“The victim, who is now an adult, was not placed into the home of Roger Barriault by the (DCF) department,” Yazbak said in a statement.

“The Barriaults were never licensed to care for her, nor did they act in the capacity as her foster parents. The family received guardianship of the victim via the Probate Court as a child.”

In a statement, state Rep. Liz Linehan, a Democrat from Cheshire and co-chair of the state legislature’s Children’s Committee, said she confirmed with DCF that Barriault still has two boys in his care that were placed there by the Probate Court.

Linehan said Barriault’s alleged crimes highlight failures in the system, adding she plans to prioritize addressing them in the upcoming legislative session.

“This is an unfathomable, horrific story of abuse,” she said. “My heart goes out to the survivor for her bravery and persistence through this traumatic, preventable time in her life. This tragedy never should have happened.”

According to the warrant, Barriault has been released from custody and is scheduled to enter a plea on Feb. 14.”

Bristol man accused of sexually assaulting girl in his care and having child with her, warrant says
[CT Insider 2/1/24 by Josh LaBella]

 

REFORM Puzzle Piece