How Could You? Hall of Shame-Ronald Gene Graham Jr. 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.

rom Lincoln, Missouri,”a Lincoln County foster parent is accused of sexually abusing multiple children. Court records indicate he had a pattern of abuse that began in 1995.

According to court documents, Ronald Gene Graham Jr. has adopted several children into his home over the years, and Graham is state certified and licensed to be a foster parent.

Prosecutors believe there could be more victims out there. Investigators said Graham has been charged in the case. Charges were filed on Feb. 9 and included 10 felony counts including statutory rape, statutory sodomy, and child molestation.

Prosecutors said the crimes date back to January 1995. Graham has been investigated for abuse several previous times. Authorities said the alleged victims were as young as 12 years old. Investigators said the crimes are sexual in nature.

Currently, Graham has three foster children living in his home. Over the course of his involvement in the Missouri foster care program, he’s had 42 children placed in his home with him and his wife.

According to court documents, Graham’s wife was not aware of the abuse, and some of it happened while she was out of town.

FOX 2 has called into the state for questions about why Graham was allowed to continue to get foster kids, especially since court documents indicate he’s previously been investigated on multiple occasions.

Both police and prosecutors refused to go on camera stating this is an ongoing investigation, and they expect to find more victims.

The Missouri Department of Social Services released the following statement:

Under Missouri law, the Department of Social Services must contact appropriate law enforcement agencies when it receives a report that merits investigation. Law enforcement agencies may co-investigate or provide other assistance.

Information related to specific child abuse and neglect investigations is closed and confidential under Missouri law, except under very limited circumstances (please see §210.150 RSMo). You may find additional information about the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, child abuse and neglect investigations and family assessments at: https://dss.mo.gov/cd/keeping-kids-safe/can.htm and https://dss.mo.gov/cd/pdf/faq-child-abuse-investigations.pdf.

To learn more about the process required to become a foster parent in Missouri, please visit https://dss.mo.gov/cd/foster-care/becoming-a-foster-parent.htm.

Additionally, the bases for denials, revocations, and suspensions of foster care licenses can be found in 210.496 RSMo and 13 CSR 35-60.090.
The Department of Social Services strongly encourages anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect to call our toll-free hotline at 1-800-392-3738. The Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline is answered 24-hours a day, every day, all year round.”

Lincoln County foster parent accused of sexually abusing multiple children
[Fox 2 2/11/22 by Kelley Hoskins]

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UPDATE:“A former foster parent is headed to prison for sexually abusing the children he was supposed to protect.

Victims say the system ignored them for years and now a prosecutor alleges that state protection workers appear to have ignored at least one direct warning from a victim.

The former foster parent in question is 62-year-old Ronald Graham, who headed to his prison sentence through the shouts of people who attended his hearing.

“Are you ashamed of yourself for molesting those children?” Graham was asked.

He had no answer as he began his 10-year prison sentence for sexually abusing his foster children.

“It took so long for this stuff to come to light,” Diamond Taylor said.

Taylor testified about the abuse she endured more than a decade ago, saying, “I just wanted to give the people who are too afraid to talk a voice.”

She thinks about her children and how she should have never had to face what she did as state regulators reportedly stood silent.

“Ron’s been able to slip through the cracks, so that makes me fear for other kids,” Taylor said.

Lincoln County Prosecutor Mike Wood charged Graham with sex abuse in 2020. He says DCFS already knew about credible allegations but failed to act.

“I was surprised to see that and disappointed at the same time. Our records indicate that there was a finding by preponderance of evidence that there was child sexual abuse going on in 2018,” Wood said.

FOX 2 followed up, asking, “Wouldn’t that mean they should tell prosecutors about something like that?”

“Certainly, but I think there are a lot of preponderance of evidence cases that aren’t reported to law enforcement,” Wood responded back.

“Should they be?” FOX 2 asked.

“I believe they should be,” Wood answered, adding, “Those are the people who are going to be on the front lines.”

FOX 2 asked Taylor, “Do you feel failed by DCFS?”

“Yes. Oh yes,” Taylor said as she described case workers back then. “After a while, it’s just another person walking in and out the door.”

Now, the man who was in charge of children’s safety faces prison because of the courageous testimony of seven former foster kids.

“They needed somewhere to feel safe and that place was not safe,” Taylor said.

Graham’s attorney called his client’s 10-year prison sentence essentially a death sentence, as he said Graham has a fatal illness that may only give him a few years to live.

The Missouri Department of Social Services also responded to say that while it cannot talk about specific cases, it is required by law to contact law enforcement when it finds credible complaints and that it has a special unit that investigates employee misconduct.”

Mo. ignored warnings of foster parent crimes: Prosecutor
[Fox 2 Now 9/17/25 by Chris Hayes]

REFORM Puzzle Piece