How Could You? Hall of Shame-Edgar Morey case-Child Death& Scott Morey 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 Duluth,Minnesota, 17-year-old Edgar Morey died of an apparent suicide on August 11, 2015.

State officials are investigating a Duluth foster home after a 17-year-old died of an apparent suicide there last month.

Edgar Morey had been under the guardianship of Clearwater County since October 2014 after he accused his adoptive father of raping him, according to court records.

The county placed the boy in Linda Lonetto’s foster home on July 29, court records show. On Aug. 11, Lonetto found Edgar hanging from a belt in a shed, according to Duluth police reports. A police officer who searched Edgar’s room found no suicide notes, but did find a Bible where two passages referencing death had been marked.

Department of Human Services Inspector General Jerry Kerber said Monday the state is investigating the boy’s death for any potential licensing violations but could not provide more information.

A phone number listed for Lonetto, who has been licensed to provide foster care since May 2011, has been disconnected and she could not be reached for comment.

Edgar’s adoptive father, Scott Morey, a Lutheran pastor, was charged in December with 16 counts of criminal sexual conduct, after he was accused of assaulting Edgar and two other children. In an interview with the Star Tribune, Morey has denied he assaulted the children, and accused the county of failing to protect Edgar.

Edgar is the 43rd child to die in a state foster care home or child treatment facility since 2005, according to DHS records.  In only a minority of cases, the deaths were the result of foster care failures, the records show.”

State investigating teen’s death in Duluth foster home[Star Tribune 9/16/15 by Brandon Stahl]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A Lutheran pastor in Clearwater County is charged with 16 counts of felony criminal sexual conduct for acts that allegedly occurred between 2009 and 2014 with juvenile boys.

Scott Morey, 42, of Shevlin appeared in Clearwater County District Court in Bagley in far northwestern Minnesota on Friday facing eight first-degree, three second-degree, two third-degree and three fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.

Morey had been a pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Winger, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bejou and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh. The Rev. Dr. Lawrence Wohlrabe, bishop with Northwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA in Moorhead, said Morey resigned as pastor at the churches Dec. 12.

Morey remains on the ELCA clergy roster, but has been asked to cease functioning as a pastor pending the outcome of the court proceedings in Clearwater County.

“I intend to wait for the court process to run its course before we consider how to carry out the ELCA’s discipline process in Pastor Morey’s situation,” Wohlrabe said.

Morey is accused of engaging in sexual contact with three juvenile males. Morey was in a position of authority over his victims and knew them, according to charge descriptions in a criminal complaint. The abuse occurred at a Clearwater County residence, according to court documents.

On Oct. 30, one of Morey’s alleged victims told a Clearwater County sheriff’s office deputy that Morey had been sexually abusing him for about seven years, according to court documents.

The boy would have been about 9 years old when the abuse began.

Law enforcement interviewed two other juvenile males who said they had been sexually abused by Morey between 2009 and 2014.

According to court documents, Morey offered his victims money, an iPod and a phone if they engaged in sexual acts with him.

Morey was taken into custody Friday and is being held in the Clearwater County Jail on $800,000 bail. A future court date had not yet been set as of Tuesday afternoon.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $40,000 fine. The maximum penalty for second-degree criminal sexual conduct is 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine. Third-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. The maximum penalty for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct is 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.”

Clearwater County pastor charged with sexual misconduct with minors [Twin Cities 1/20/15 by Crystal Dey]

Update 2: “A Clearwater County District Court jury found a former pastor in northwestern Minnesota guilty Wednesday of having sexual contact with children.

The Rev. Scott Morey, Shevlin, Minn., was charged in 2014 with eight first-degree, three second-degree and three fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.

All of the convictions are related to incidents with two minor children, according to a news release from the Clearwater County Attorney’s Office. The 43-year-old was acquitted of one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

After receiving the verdict, Judge Eric Schieferdecker revoked Morey’s bail and remanded him into custody of the Clearwater County Sheriff.

Morey had been a pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Winger, Minn., Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bejou, Minn., and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh, Minn. He resigned as pastor at the churches on Dec. 12, 2014, according to the Rev. Lawrence Wohlrabe, bishop with Northwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA in Moorhead.

Morey engaged in sexual contact with juvenile males while in a position of authority over his victims, according to a criminal complaint.

The abuse occurred at a Clearwater County residence, according to court documents, and investigators said Morey offered his victims money, an iPod and a phone if they engaged in sexual acts with him.

Morey is scheduled to be sentenced 1:30 p.m. May 25 in Clearwater District Court.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $40,000 fine, second-degree is 25 years and a $35,000 fine and fourth-degree is 10 years and a $20,000 fine.”

Former pastor of northwestern Minnesota churches found guilty of having sexual contact with children [Grand Forks Herald 4/21/16 by Becky Jacobs]

“A former pastor in northwestern Minnesota was sentenced Wednesday to 33 years and 10 months in prison for having sexual contact with children.

The Rev. Scott Morey, Shevlin, Minn., was charged in 2014 with eight first-degree, three second-degree and three fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.

A jury found the 43-year-old guilty April 20 on 13 of the 14 counts, and he was acquitted on one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

At Morey’s sentencing hearing Wednesday afternoon in Clearwater County District Court, the prosecution asked for 44½ years in prison, and the defense countered with 15 years in prison.

Judge Eric Schieferdecker then sentenced Morey to the 33 years and 10 months. He also included a good time contingency, where if Morey successfully completes a sex offender program, he could ultimately spend two-thirds of his sentence in prison, which would be about 22 years.

“In his case, because of the nature and volume of offenses, he’d be on additional release probably for the rest of his life,” Clearwater County Attorney Richard Mollin Jr. said, and he’d be “closely watched” or could be in some lesser form of jail for monitoring.

Morey will be a lifetime registered sex offender.

Mollin also asked for about $3,800 in restitution to cover the costs of bringing in victims, witnesses and an expert for the case.

Morey had been a pastor in three Minnesota churches: Calvary Lutheran Church in Winger, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bejou and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh. He resigned as pastor at the churches on Dec. 12, 2014, according to the Rev. Lawrence Wohlrabe, bishop with Northwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA in Moorhead.

His convictions are related to incidents with two minor children, according to a news release from the Clearwater County Attorney’s Office.

Morey engaged in sexual contact with juvenile males while in a position of authority over his victims, according to a criminal complaint.

The abuse occurred at a Clearwater County residence, and investigators said Morey offered his victims money, an iPod and a phone if they engaged in sexual acts with him.”

Former Clearwater County pastor sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for sexual contact with children [The Bemidi Pioneer 5/25/16 by Becky Jacobs]