How Could You? Hall of Shame-Ruben Leavell 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 Powder Springs, Georgia, “three runaway girls living at a group home were sexually assaulted in late May by a 50-year-old man they met who lives in the neighborhood.

Police would not explain how they ended up at Ruben Leavell’s Powder Springs house.

11Alive’s Rebecca Lindstrom obtained Leavell’s arrest warrant, which provides some idea of what happened while the girls were there.

Heritage House/Light of Hope and Love Ministry in Powder Springs is licensed by the Georgia Department of Human Resources to care for girls sent there by the Division of Family and Children Services and the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice that need a safe place to stay.

The state is investigating Heritage House to “determine if the facility followed internal processes and procedures for supervision of children.”

According to the arrest warrant, the girls involved are 14 and 15 years old. It is not clear what triggered them to leave, but a neighbor says she saw them running across the street at about 8 p.m. By 2 a.m., the warrant says they were inside Leavell’s home

Police said two of the girls were sodomized and physically injured. He is also accused of having sex with one of the girls. Police said they believe other men were involved, and call this an open investigation.

Leavell has been arrested for burglary, assault and shoplifting, but has no sex crimes on his record. His house is right next to the bus stop. Another man living with Leavell says they would see the girls every day coming and going to school.

DFCS says it still has two children living at Heritage House, but we do not know if they were involved in this incident.

DFCS says it has suspended any future placements at the facility until its investigation is complete. No one at the house would speak with 11Alive News, but did tell us via email to find a “real story” – calling the accusations “lies” made up by a “bad parent.” The emails were signed “light of hope and love” – the name of the non-profit organization that owns the home.

The emails also said the home has a safety record of 98 out of 100.

We checked, and while it wasn’t that high, Heritage Homes did always score well on safety. A report from the home on the night the teens ran away says one of the girls distracted a staff member as they ran out the front door, ignoring the alarm.

DFCS suspends placement with state-funded home pending an investigation .”

Police: Teen group home runaways sexually assaulted[11 Alive 6/4/15 by Jon Shirek and Rebecca Lindstrom]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: On 4/29/16 a guilty sentence For AGGRAVATED CHILD MOLESTATION for 3 years.