How Could You? Hall of Shame-Darrin Keith Reid 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 Indianapolis, Indiana, “A former New Castle man who impregnated his 15-year-old foster daughter in 2006 now stands accused of repeatedly sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl who had been placed in his care by the state.

Darrin Keith Reid, 42, more recently of Indianapolis, has been charged with child molesting, a Class A felony carrying a standard 30-year prison term, and intimidation, a Class D felony with a standard 18-month sentence.

The most recent foster child to allege abuse by Reid spent six weeks in the defendant’s New Castle home in the late summer and early autumn of 2005, along with her two younger siblings.

The girl told police Reid threatened to kill her brother and sister if she told anyone about the assaults.

Arrested Friday, Reid remained in the Henry County jail on Tuesday under a $35,000 bond. He received an Aug. 29 trial date Tuesday in Henry Circuit Court.

According to a report by Stacey Guffey, a Henry County sheriff’s investigator, Reid’s latest accuser and her siblings were placed by welfare authorities in the Railroad Street home the defendant shared with his wife, Traesha, from mid-September to late October of 2005.

The girl said Reid sexually abused her the “whole time” she was in his care, forcing her to join him in his bedroom, ostensibly to “watch television,” and also entered her bedroom at night.

She said she frequently began to cry when Reid fondled her, prompting the foster father to place his hand over her mouth and threaten to kill her siblings, by strangulation or smothering them with a pillow. He also said he would not molest the younger children if she cooperated, the girl said.

“(The girl) told us that (Reid) did threaten her personally by saying he would come and find her,” Guffey wrote in his report.

Reid denied the girl’s allegations when interviewed on April 21.

His wife told investigators she was unaware such abuse had taken place, but said after her husband’s later impregnation of an older foster child and allegations — unrelated to the Henry County cases — that he sexually abused still another child, “anything is possible at this point.”

After pleading guilty to two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor in 2007, Reid was placed on probation for five years, including three years on electronic home detention.

In accepting a plea agreement in that case, Judge Mary Willis noted that Reid wasn’t well suited for prison due to his severe vision problems.

Reid in April told investigator Guffey that he has one prosthetic eye and limited vision in the other eye.”

Ex-New Castle man accused of molesting, threatening foster daughter
[Muncie Star Press 5/31/11 by Douglas Walker]

Update: “A former foster father who was convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor after impregnating a 15-year-old foster child faces two additional charges connected to a separate case involving a then-8-year-old girl. Darrin Reid, 42, of Indianapolis, was charged last week with child molestation and intimidation, both felonies, stemming from a 2005 case.The girl, who is now 13, told authorities earlier this year that Reid molested her numerous times while she and two younger siblings lived at his home in New Castle. Police said the girl told them that Reid fondled her and told her that if she told anyone, he would kill her brother and sister.The girl told police that she was molested every day that she was in the home, over the course of six weeks.Reid denied that he had molested the girl.Reid was convicted in 2007 of sexual misconduct in the case involving the 15-year-old girl in 2006. He was placed on probation for five years in that case.Reid had been a licensed foster parent from June 2004 to October 2006.”
Ex-Foster Father Faces Molestation, Intimidation Charges
[WRTV6.com 6/1/11]

The previous case with the 15-year old is still available on the internet. “A foster father faces two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor after he impregnated a 15-year-old girl who had been placed in his home, officials said.Darrin Reid, 37, is accused of having sex with the foster child nine times until around July 2006, 6News’ Derrik Thomas reported. The girl was removed from the home in August.

Investigators said Reid told the girl to tell anyone who asked about the pregnancy to tell them that a man had raped her at a nearby bowling alley. Police said there was no truth to that story and that Reid later admitted to his wife that he had impregnated the girl.The girl has been placed in another foster home. Neither Reid nor his wife has a prior criminal history.Court records indicated that both of the girl’s parents are in prison. In 2001, she was placed with a relative whom authorities later said had sexually abused another member of his family.Since then, the girl has lived in five foster homes, including Reid’s, and a youth center.”It is extremely important that the investigation be done correctly and that the prosecution is handled appropriately,” said Henry County prosecutor Kit Crane. “She needs to be protected. It is very important that we try to protect her from this point forward.”Reid was licensed as a state foster parent from June 2004 until his license was revoked this month, according to the Indiana Department of Child Services.Residents who live near Reid said the allegations against him are unsettling.”I don’t think I’ll let my kids play outside anymore, at least not without me being right beside them,” said Amanda Gyson. “I usually let them run and jump on the trampoline, but I won’t do that no more.”If convicted, Reid could face as much as 20 years in prison. He was released from the Henry County Jail on $25,000 bond shortly after his arrest earlier this week. He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 6.Statewide, sexual abuse by foster parents is on the rise. In 2004, there were 10 reported cases. There were 13 reported cases in 2005.”

Foster Father Accused Of Impregnating 15-Year-Old Girl
[WRTV6.com 10/19/06]

Update 2: According to a public Henry County Circuit court records search, on 8/12/11 a motion to continue trial was granted. A pretrial conference was set for 11/10/11 and a jury trial for 12/12/11.

On 12/1/11 a “MOTION TO DISMISS CHARGING INFORMATION WITHOUT PREJUDICE ” was granted for charges of intimidation and child molestation.

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