How Could You? Hall of Shame-Valerie Wilke, Social Worker/Jeffrey Schare 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 Fairfield, Connecticut, licensed social worker, restaurant chef and mandated child abuse reporter Valerie Wilke, 54, “who counseled two young girls after they said they were sexually abused by a Staples High School of Westport swim coach”, has been charged with failure to report abuse or neglect and interfering with a police officer. If convicted, she faces a year in prison and $2500 in fines.

“Jeffrey Schare, [age 43] coach of the Staples boys’ swim and dive team for seven years, was charged [in December 2012] with sexually assaulting the two girls, now 12 and 8, for more than a year.

In November, police said Wilke told a school counselor she had information about the sexual assault of a child, but refused to reveal the child’s identity.

Instead, Wilke interviewed the two girls at her home. Despite determining they had been abused, Wilke did not tell the girls’ mother or authorities.

Police said when they contacted Wilke, she refused to give them either Schare’s name or the name of the girls’ mother. Wilke told police she had already determined the girls were safe. Eventually, the mother called police.

“Wilke’s inaction continued to put (the victims) at risk of further abuse by failing to report said abuse for a period of at least one week,” the arrest warrant affidavit states.

Schare is charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of risk of injury to a minor, and one count each of third-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault and attempted third-degree sexual assault.

He began “grooming” the two girls when they were much younger, “promising favors such as food and sleepovers as rewards for his deviant behavior,” according to court documents.

The affidavit states that he began touching the girls inappropriately and that empowered him to advance his actions.

“A behavior he readily admitted to his wife was a lust for younger girls, an urge that he could no longer control,” the affidavit reads.

Police said the older girl tried to fight him off many times.”

Social worker accused of hiding sex abuse

[Connecticut Post 1/11/13 by Daniel Tepfer]

Schare has been released on a $150,000 bond.

Staples High swim coach charged with sex assaults

[Connecticut Post 12/17/12 by Daniel Tepfer]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

 

Update: “A former swim coach at Staples High School in Westport is facing up to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to repeatedly sexually assaulting two young Fairfield girls over a three-year period.

Jeffrey Schare pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin to two counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of risk of injury to a minor and one count of fourth-degree sexual assault. Devlin said he would impose the 8-year term along with lifetime sex offender registry when Schare is sentenced Oct. 3.

Neither Schare nor his lawyer, John Gulash, would comment as they left the courthouse.

Schare, 44, was coach of the Wreckers boys swimming and diving team for seven years and also taught math at Staples High School.

Police said both victims, who are now 12 and 9, are acquainted with Schare and attend school in Fairfield. The older girl complained to a counselor at her school.

Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Cornelius Kelly said the girls’ mother later confronted Schare with her daughter’s accusations and Schare admitted sexually assaulting the girls. Kelly said Schare also admitted the assaults to a friend who went to police.

Schare began “grooming” the two girls when they were much younger, “promising favors such as food and sleepovers as rewards for his deviant behavior,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

The affidavit states he began touching the girls inappropriately, which empowered him to advance his actions: “A behavior he readily admitted to his wife was a lust for younger girls, an urge that he could no longer control.”

Valerie Wilke, a licensed social worker, was later arrested after Kelly said Wilke, who had counseled the two girls after the assaults, did not report the assaults to police as she is required by law. She also did not tell the girls’ mother.

She is charged with failure to report abuse or neglect, and interfering with a police officer.”

Former Westport swim coach pleads guilty to sex assaults[CTS NEWS 7/28/14 by Daniel Tepfer]

Update 2:“There was a look of dread on Jeffrey Schare’s face as he sat with his hands folded at the defense table Friday in state Superior Court.

It wasn’t dread for the sentence — he’s known for a month he would be going away for eight years for sexually assaulting two young Fairfield girls.

And it wasn’t the dozens of green-ribbon-wearing victims’ supporters filling the back of the courtroom — many had been here when he pleaded guilty to the crime.

But behind the double doors of the courtroom waited one of his young victims, and prosecutorCornelius Kelly had just told the judge the teenager wanted to address him before sentencing.

Schare, 44, a Fairfield resident and former swim coach at Staples High School in Westport, sat staring at his hands as one of his victim’s fathers, standing before Judge Robert Devlin, tearfully and angrily admitted to Schare: “I really want to go after you in this courtroom. The only thing stopping me is that I would then leave my daughter without a father.”

Then a grandfather called Schare a pedophile, and an uncle of a victim accused Schare of being a failure in life.

But every so often there was that furtive glance at the double doors.

Finally they opened.

The petite, 14-year-old brunette was escorted into the courtroom by her mother but then walked alone to the prosecutor’s table, clutching a piece of paper in her hand.

“I feel an intense dislike for you,” she told Schare as he looked off in the opposite direction. “I’m stronger now,” she continued calmly. “I don’t live in fear of you anymore. When I told my mom, I did the right thing. I hope you have a difficult time in prison.”

With that she strode to the embrace of her family.

Schare’s lawyer, John Gulash, then set the stage for his client to address the court, assuring the judge that Schare was not maintaining his innocence.

Getting to his feet under the watchful eyes of several marshals, Schare then faced the judge.

“I’m sure you hear many people apologize and promise to make amends, but I am profoundly sorry for what I did,” Jeffrey Schare read from a sheet of white paper. “I deserve what’s happening to me.”

Devlin told the crowded courtroom that at first he was upset by the “cascade of hatred” he heard from the victims’ families. “But I came to realize this was like an open wound. Bad stuff happens in this courtroom; believe me, I spend a lot of time here. But my advice to you is leave it here.”

On the two counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of risk of injury to a minor and one count of fourth-degree sexual assault, the judge sentenced Schare to eight years in prison, followed by 10 years of special parole. He also ordered him to register as a sex offender and stay away from children.

Schare, was coach of the Wreckers’ boys swimming and diving team for seven years and also taught math at Staples High School.

Police said both victims, sisters who are now 14 and 10, are acquainted with Schare and attend school in Fairfield. The older girl complained to a counselor at her school.

Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Cornelius Kelly said the girls’ mother later confronted Schare with her daughter’s accusations, and Schare admitted sexually assaulting them. Kelly said Schare also admitted the assaults to a friend who went to police.

Schare began “grooming” the sisters when they were much younger, “promising favors such as food and sleepovers as rewards for his deviant behavior,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

The affidavit states he began touching the girls inappropriately, which empowered him to advance his actions.

“A behavior he readily admitted to his wife was a lust for younger girls, an urge that he could no longer control,” according to the affidavit.

Valerie Wilke, a licensed social worker, was later arrested after Kelly said Wilke, who had counseled the two girls after the assaults, did not report the assaults to police as required by law.

She also did not tell the girls’ mother.

She is charged with failure to report abuse or neglect, and interfering with a police officer.”

Westport coach gets 8 years for sex assaults[Connecticut Post  10/3/14 by  Daniel Tepfer]