How Could You? Hall of Shame-Robert John Bergner UPDATED

By on 7-28-2015 in Abuse in adoption, California, How could you? Hall of Shame, Robert John Bergner

How Could You? Hall of Shame-Robert John Bergner 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 Nipomo, California, adoptive  father Robert John Bergner,51 was charged with 126 counts of sexual abuse of a minor. The minor was 12 years old and was molested until she was 18 years old.

“Counts 1 and 2 of the complaint allege Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, Counts 3 & 4 allege Forcible Lewd Act on a Child, Count 5 alleges Sodomy of a Victim aged 14 to 17, Counts 6 through 77 allege Child Molest, Counts 78 through 101 allege Unlawful Intercourse with a Minor under 16 Years of Age, Counts 102 through 125 allege Unlawful Intercourse with a Minor More Than 3 Years Younger Than the Perpetrator, and Count 126 alleges Possession of Child Pornography.

Bergner is currently in jail, held on $1 million bail.

He is scheduled for continued arraignment on July 28.”

Girls Softball Coach Arrested in Nipomo Child Molestation Case[Keyt 7/24/15 by Oscar Flores]

“According to the Sheriff’s Office, Bergner is a former coach of a South County girls 12-and-under recreational softball team.

He was arrested Wednesday[July 22, 2015] by detectives with the sheriff’s Sex Crimes Unit after a woman, now 18, accused him of sexually abusing her repeatedly. According to the woman, the crimes occurred until May of this year.”

Nipomo man faces 126 charges in alleged sexual abuse of girl[The Tribune of San Luis Obispo 7/24/15 by Patrick S. Pemberton]

“A publicist for a Santa Maria league said he was informed by his board of directors that Bergner was formerly a coach for the Nipomo Youth Softball League. Emails and phone calls to that league’s six administrators were not returned.

Several coaches and presidents of various South San Luis Obispo County softball leagues did not recognize Bergner’s name.

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla said the investigation remained ongoing Wednesday and could not comment further on the case.

On his Facebook page, Bergner listed himself as co-owner of Nipomo-based Onsite Construction & Engineering. An employee there on Wednesday afternoon said Bergner had not worked at the business for at least a year and is not an owner.”

“The investigation remained ongoing Wednesday, but anyone with possible information about the case is asked to call sheriff’s detectives at 781-4500.

 

Nipomo man accused of molestation was a girls softball coach[The Tribune of San Luis Obispo 7/22/15 by Matt Fountain]

“A child allegedly raped and sodomized for more than six years at a Nipomo home was placed there by San Luis Obispo County officials who concluded the foster home was safer and more stable than lodgings her birth parents could provide.The girl, now 18, was allegedly sexually assaulted by her adoptive father at the home where she was placed after she and two of her siblings were pulled from their parents’ care in 2002. The abuse began when the girl was 12, the SLO Sheriff’s Department said.Last Friday, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office charged Robert John Bergner, 51, with 126 counts of sexual abuse.The childrens’ birth parents, Richard and Elizabeth Carroll, told CalCoastNews that false allegations manufactured by former Prado Day Center manager Dee Torres-Hill resulted in their three children being placed in the home of an alleged child rapist. This occurred, they said, after the family refused to hand over 70 percent of their income. CAPSLO required the homeless to turn over 70 percent of their non-Social Security income to remain in case management.“I couldn’t protect my children because I was homeless,” Elizabeth Carroll said. “And then they put them in a house with this monster.”

On Dec. 11, 2001, a San Luis Obispo Police officer arrested Elizabeth Carroll after Torres-Hill reported she had punched her 5-year-old in the nose. However, police investigators later determined Elizabeth Carroll had not punched her child, though she had smacked her child with an open hand for cursing, according to police reports.

Even though several of Torres-Hill’s allegations were eventually deemed untrue or unsubstantiated by law enforcement, the allegations continued to be repeated in statements provided to the courts by San Luis Obispo County Social Services employees, court records show.

In Aug. 2003, Superior Court Commissioner Sidney B. Findley terminated parental rights of the Carrolls in favor of a request for adoption of the three children by then-foster parents Robert and Valerie Bergner, who had more financial wealth than the birth parents. Findley noted the birth parents’ homelessness comparing it to the stability the Bergners could provide.

“I am convinced these children need permanency and that is what the law requires,” Findley said in his ruling. “All decisions that I make, I make because I believe they are in the best interest of the children.”

Richard Carroll responded to the loss of his children first by picketing the Prado Day Center, the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse and the Maxine Lewis Homeless Shelter with a sign that read, “Stop the onslaught of abuse on lower class people.”

After three months of picketing with no results, Richard Carroll attempted to hang himself from the walking bridge near the San Luis Obispo train station. A police officer stopped the despondent parent, who was then placed for a short time in a county mental health facility.

The Carrolls, who have been married for more than 20 years, said that they were told in county facilitated mediation that they would have contact including photographs, phone calls, and letters with their children after the adoption. However, shortly after the 2003 adoption, the Bergners refused to let the Carrolls speak with or visit their children and sent back unopened letters and cards, they said.

Nevertheless, the parents kept track of their children, daughters now 18 and 14, and a 16-year-old son.

Elizabeth Carroll said she knew immediately that the 18-year-old alleged victim in news reports about Bergner’s arrest was her daughter. Since the discovery, Richard Carroll has repeatedly called County Social Services to ask for information about their birth children, though his calls have not been returned, he said.

According to several sources involved in the foster care system, the Carrolls’ two youngest children and the Bergners’ 10-year-old child have been placed with a friend of the Bergners in Nipomo because the county is insisting that the children remain together.

For years, Robert Bergner showered his alleged victim with expensive gifts including a new car, family sources said. Nevertheless, several months ago the victim informed her adoptive mother about the abuse.

The adoptive parents rebuked the teen’s claims and took her car from her, family sources said. The teenager is currently staying with friends.

After six years of alleged abuse, the oldest daughter went to law enforcement authorities, who discovered pornographic pictures of the teenager in the adoptive parents’ home. The teen’s disclosure resulted in the arrest of Robert Bergner and the removal of her siblings from the Bergner’s home.”

Exclusive: County put children into hands of man accused of rape[Cal Coast News 7/27/15 by KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Homestudy2

Update:”A Nipomo man and former girls softball coach arrested last month on suspicion of longtime sexual abuse pleaded not guilty this morning to more than 100 felony charges related to his arrest and the allegations.Robert John Bergner, 51, entered not guilty pleas to 126 felonies, including 72 counts of child molestation, that he’s been charged with related to his July 22 arrest at his Nipomo home.

He remains in San Luis Obispo County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 1 for a prepreliminary hearing.

Bergner was arrested by detectives with the Sheriff’s Department’s Sex Crimes Unit after an 18-year-old woman reported that she had been molested by the man from the time she was 12 years old until May of this year, according to a department spokesman.”

Former Nipomo softball coach denies sex abuse charges [Lompono Record 8/11/15 by April Charlton]
A search on who’s in custody in San Luis Obispo county shows that Robert still is in custody on November 18, 2015.
Update 2:Thanks to commenter Elizabeth for bringing this case up to date.
“On Thursday, Robert John Bergner, the former coach of an under-12 girls softball team in Nipomo, pled to aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14, and forcible lewd act on a child under the age of 14.

Bergner, 51, was arrested in July 2015 after an 18-year-old woman’s complaint that she had been molested by Bergner since age 12 prompted a police investigation.

Bergner was charged with 126 counts relating to unlawful sexual abuse of a minor, including possession of child pornography.

Bergner’s sentence will be 20 years to life in state prison, according to the San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 22nd.

Update 3:“A former foster father sentenced yesterday to 20 years to life in prison for child rape. 51-year-old Robert Bergner of Nipomo reached a plea deal with the county district attorney. At his sentencing yesterday, the foster and adopted daughter read a statement detailing the struggles she faced for years. The girl, her brother and her sister were taken away from their birth parents by county officials in 2002.The homeless birth parents say that false allegations were manufactured by former Prado Day Center manager Dee Torrez-Hill, the wife of county supervisor Adam Hill. Under foster car [sic], the girl was sexually assaulted for years by her foster and adopted father, Robert Bergner. Facing 126 felonies, Bergner worked out a plea deal with the District Attorney.”

7 Comments

  1. This just hurts too much. When will we stop punishing the poor for their poverty, while feeding their children to monsters?

  2. These articles are written misinformed. First the biological parents were abusive and not victims. Their only crime was not homelessness. The guy should pay, also the victim never told the biological mom ever. Let the perpetrator rot but don’t make hero’s out of the biological parents they were abusive too.

    • I think it is you that are are misinformed. The stories say she went and told the Adoptive mother, not the Bio-logical mother. Yes, I smacked my daughter in the mouth one time. I have never denied that. You have gone to each site with this story and made the same claims about me and my husband as well as what the reporter(s) have said in their story. Perhaps you should read the story correctly and comment accordingly instead of trying to change the story to fit your views (which amount to zip in my opinion since you were not there). Even teh youngest child in question has commented on the original story.

  3. What don’t you believe about” On Dec. 11, 2001, a San Luis Obispo Police officer arrested Elizabeth Carroll after Torres-Hill reported she had punched her 5-year-old in the nose. However, police investigators later determined Elizabeth Carroll had not punched her child, though she had smacked her child with an open hand for cursing, according to police reports.

    Even though several of Torres-Hill’s allegations were eventually deemed untrue or unsubstantiated by law enforcement, the allegations continued to be repeated in statements provided to the courts by San Luis Obispo County Social Services employees, court records show.”?What are their other “crimes”?

  4. There is a new update on this story, Mr. Bergner has made a plea deal. 20 to life but eligable for parole in 18.

  5. Whatever happened with the other children? Have been returned to their biological parents, is their some action being performed on that end ?I hope they’re all safe.

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