How Could You? Hall of Shame-Horace Buckingham 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 Pottstown, Pennsylvania, 57-year-old foster parent Horace Buckingham “was charged with raping a girl who was in his care as a foster child numerous times over 2½ to 3 years, bribing the child with gifts and money, and “frequently” forcing her to stay home from school so he could assault her, court papers indicate.”

The charges include “numerous first-degree felony counts each of rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, as well as multiple second-degree felony counts each of aggravated assault of a child, statutory sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault, among other charges.”

The abuse occurred at several residences during that timeframe.

“The victim told police Buckingham “initiated contact” with her by hugging her, but that contact “escalated to putting his hand on her shoulders, then down her sides to her legs.” Some of the seemingly innocent contact Buckingham would make with the victim initially was done “when no one was looking.”

On several occasions, Buckingham took the victim fishing at a public place along the Schuylkill River and pulled down her pants before he assaulted her, court papers indicate. On at least one of those occasions, the victim avoided Buckingham’s assault, and he got upset with her. Buckingham would “bribe the victim with money and candy,” police wrote in court papers.

At one of the residences where Buckingham lived with the victim, he assaulted her multiple times in the garage of the residence where there was a mattress, according to court papers. Buckingham kept the victim in the garage “for hours” and assaulted her, court papers state.

On at least one occasion, Buckingham had the victim sleep in his bed with him and made her watch a pornographic video before attempting to reenact the scenes with her, forcing her to engage in the assault, court papers indicate.”

The victim, now an adult, reported the incidents to police in October 2009. The abuse began in 1995, when she was 9 years old.

“Buckingham was sent to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $750,000 cash bail pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 4 before District Judge Edward Kropp Sr. ”
Former Pottstown man charged with raping girl, 9
[The Mercury 3/29/11 by Brandie Kessler]

Update: Buckingham “was transported back to Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $750,000 cash bail following the preliminary hearing.”

“Testimony by the victim during the preliminary hearing indicated the alleged sexual assault and incidents of rape occurred over a period of two to three years at several addresses in the borough of Pottstown. The victim testified that the alleged incidents started after Buckingham asked her to be his “Little Buddy” around Christmas, and told her he would tell her what one of her Christmas gifts was if she agreed to be his “Little Buddy.””

Man charged with rape of foster child is held on all charges
[The Mercury 4/26/11 by Brandi Kessler]

Update 2: According to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas public records search, on January 30, 2012, Horace pled guilty to two Felony 1 counts of “Invol. Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child” The other 57 charges were dropped.

Charges dropped included 7 Felony 1 counts of Rape Forcible Compulsion; 7 Felony 1 counts of Rape of Child; 7 Felony 1 counts of “IDSI Forcible Compulsion”; 5 Felony 1 counts of “Invol. Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child”;5 Felony 2 counts of “Agg. Ind. Assault – Comp. Less Than 13 Years Old”;5 Felony 1 counts of “Agg. Ind. Assault of Child”; 7 Felony 2 counts of Statutory Sexual Assault; 1 Felony 3 count of Indecent Assault Person Less than 13 Years of Age; 1 Felony 3 count of
Endangering Welfare of Children -Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense; 6 Misdemeanor 1 count of indecent exposure; 5 Felony 2 counts of Agg. Ind. Assault – Forcible Compulsion; and 1 Misdemeanor 1 count of Corruption og Minors.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 11, 2012.

Update 3/June 22, 2012:

Another public search of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania court records reveals the sentence:

For the one count of Invol. Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child that he pled guilty to: 4 to 10 year sentence with 15 years probation

Two counts of  Invol. Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child  are now designated “Nolle Prossed” (charges dismissed but prosecutor in future may refile the charges)

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