IN - Allegations of child abuse at Hephzibah House, Winona Lake, 2018

[disgruntled]

Disgruntled-

I'd be willing to research and compile a list with contact info of individual activists, relevant orgs, and media (outside Indiana) that might be receptive to hearing your s


Would doing this be helpful to you and welcomed by you?

This would be so helpful! Thank you!

 

[human]

No one, most of them are from out of state, some from other countries, they are nameless and faceless. Even if the police walked up to the door to do a welfare check...Williams would just deny anyone was there.

ICE is on here with child abuse things. Interpol. That may be a way because they have child abuse as an arm of what they do. I am not sure where the thread is on here. FBI as well as the kids have crossed state lines.

 

[disgruntled]

I agree.

Ditto at the federal level. I'm reading up on the legislative history of that House bill which would have mandated several child-abuse reporting mechanisms for private/religious institutions (which Williams actively opposed), and why it died in the US Senate.

I'm looking for the names of those responsible in the Senate who either killed it /let it die in committee, and for any of their stated reasons for their opposition.

We helped with the writing and petitioning for that Bill. It was devastating when it died. I just do not understand why anyone would object to these very basic minimally invasive protections.

 

[human]

JMO
LE has done that before with sending "kid" to high school to break up a drug ring. That would be a really good idea IMO. The problem would be convincing LE they need to spend resources to do something like that.

I think its a great idea and would either confirm they are following all the rules and nothing comes about it or the opposite. Its a fantastic idea actually IMO.

A reporter. A national one.

 

[disgruntled]

As I see it, the biggest challenge at present is getting someone in authority (or a mandated reporter) IN the place. And without some specific information about actual current harms/activities nobody can get a warrant to get past the gate.

I did sorta brainstorm about the bad idea of lobbing an incendiary device in--the idea being that a fire would at least get some first responders in. NOT recommended.

But, I did a quick review of Indiana State Ed Regs for private schools: https://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf (beginning on page 82). Some disappointing info:
Accreditation of non-public schools is voluntary, and clearly Hephzibah is not raising their hand on this one. They would be considered a non accredited nonpublic school. Which gets them out of a good many regulations.

However, if my reading is correct (Gitana?), they are required to "register" annually with the state, which gets them a number (which the do not seem to have in going through publicly available state databases). They are also (I believe) required to annually provide the state with an annual enrolment number.
The State Superintendent MAY require them to provide a list of students (name, address, age) and they MUST respond if this is requested.
The school MAY require students to provide something from their prior school, but they are required (again--if I am reading correctly) to see a birth certificate or other credible documentation of name and DOB for each student. If none is made available to them, they are required to report to Missing Children to ensure that this child has not been reported missing from somewhere. (don't know that this is helpful, just thought it was interesting.

But here's the part I thought might be helpful. Each public agency (IOW, the local school district) is responsible to locate, identify and evaluate ALL students with disabilities, providing services as warranted. And this applies even to students attending private schools. Now, I did spend some time on the HH website, looking into their Mission and all those letters of support (interesting--none of them, even the letters of support from ministers--has a name attached). They define mission in terms of "troubled girls," which THEY define as being morally corrupt or rebellious. However, the rest of the world pretty much recognizes that this would be a population having considerable overlap with having learning/behavioral/emotional disabilities (frequently undiagnosed).

Now, Warsaw (http://www.warsaw.k12.in.us/informa...14-2015-parent-student-handbook0904221pm/file) would be their local school district, and Indiana law (as well as federal IDEA legislation) gives them an affirmative responsibility to seek out children with disabilities in order to see that they get required services. Now, it's anybody's guess whether they would be willing to stick their neck out. But they are answerable to the State on this, and I don't think the HH influence reaches that far.

Now, it's a long shot, and all it does is get a mandated reporter inside the grounds and in contact with their students (maybe). And it might take some outreach to the state DOE. But it also looks like a stone that hasn't yet been turned over.

Anyone?

On my list. This is excellent research and a great idea.

 

[human]

Yes. you have to be from a vetted fanatical family in a vetted fanatical (supporting) church to even get the application package for Hephzibah house.

So joining up with a church undercover is the first step

 

[TruthTempest]

So would it be accurate to say, at this point, that despite some high profile media attention (Anderson Cooper), and an overwhelming number of survivor stories related to HH and some IFB “schools” in general, this place still operates because legal recourse is limited and parents either don’t know, don’t believe, or don’t disagree with their methodology?

If all of that is true, it seems like one potential avenue is to find the parents who “didn’t know” (may be a challenge if they fear backlash from their religious community) or to find recent survivors that still fall within the statute of limitations for pressing criminal and/or civil charges. Perhaps even former employees if there are any?

I’m not sure if this has been tried, or if it’s even available there, but there is an App called Next Door, which is kind of like Facebook, but it only reaches the local community that you reside in. It mostly deals with crime, lost pets, criminal activity (neighborhood watch type stuff) and items of community interest. Perhaps there is a way to delicately reach out to the locals through an app such as this to see if anyone comes forward?

 

[Hraefn]

2277 E Pierceton Rd., Warsaw, IN 46580 - Believer's Baptist Church

Property records and picture: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/Ap...ageID=1015&Q=882407037&KeyValue=003-115-030.C

More in depth records including building descriptions: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/FileData/KosciuskoCountyIN/PRC/43-11-23-300-020.000-031.PDF

Owner listed as:
Owner (Auditor)
Hephzibah House
508 School St
Winona Lake, IN 46590

Property type: Tax Exempt Religious


2247 E Pierceton Rd., Warsaw, IN 46580 - Hephzibah Staff House Inc.

Property records and picture: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/Ap...PageID=1015&Q=1023740746&KeyValue=003-115-033

More in depth records including building description: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/FileData/KosciuskoCountyIN/PRC/43-11-23-300-022.000-031.PDF

Owner listed as:
Owner (Auditor)
Williams Ronald E
508 School St
Winona Lake, IN 46590

Property type: Residential


508 School St, Winona Lake, IN 46590 - Hephzibah House - Offices

Property records and picture: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/Ap...PageID=1015&Q=1153967947&KeyValue=006-070-035

More in depth records including building description: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/FileData/KosciuskoCountyIN/PRC/43-11-15-400-167.000-033.PDF

Owner listed as:
Owner (Auditor)
Hephzibah House
508 School St
Winona Lake, IN 46590

Property type: Tax Exempt Religious

 

[Hraefn]

Patricia (Patti or Patty) Williams obituary - she was Ronald's wife as you'll know if you read the testimonials.
https://www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com/notices/Patricia-Williams

It lists many family members and also this *gem*

The family requests that memorial donations in Patricia's name be made to Hephzibah House, 508 School Street, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590.

 

[human]

Disgruntled, you have done so much!

I wondered until recently why child issues are so lax. Even getting a minimum age for marriage was impossible in some places.

Now I know why. Many people in power have perversions. Many. That is why laws do not get passed.

 

[Hraefn]

The statute of limitations defense may prevent the survivors from getting financial compensation for their abuse in a court of law, but it won't prevent a trial of public opinion. Many people will remember the early 2000s exposure of Catholic priests and the systematic cover up of abuse; most of those failed statute of limitations requirements but the court of public opinion made sure justice was served to the survivors. I may be biased since I am a lawyer, but the lawsuits are worth it IMO if a lawyer can be found. I bet many of the court fees could be donated or raised online. And like I said before, ultimately the goal is exposing the abuse and preventing it from ever happening again. Public opinion is crucial to accomplish that IMO.

 

[disgruntled]

Indiana has an interesting slant to their private school exemption. Schools may CHOOSE to be accredited by the state. or not. And many do.

Right. They are also EXEMPT from current law regarding children in residential facilities because of their status as a private religious school under the umbrella of the church (their private church)

 

[disgruntled]

It is exactly what we object about Sharia Law.

Right

 

[disgruntled]

The Hephzibah Staff House comes up at this address
2247 E Pierceton Rd, Warsaw, IN 46580
https://www.google.com/maps/place/H...60d7b8a5feaeaf0e!8m2!3d41.212759!4d-85.798862

Hephzibah house main compound is there. That is where the girls are confined. The School street address is the office.

 

[disgruntled]

Does anyone know if this woman is still active? We all could contact her as well.
"Becky Moreno, Winona Lake.Moreno, victims' assistance coordinator at the Warsaw Police Department"
She is mentioned in a couple of articles.
http://articles.southbendtribune.co...ask-force-victims-assistance-coordinator-exam
http://www.timesuniononline.com/Con...ephzibah-House-Task-Force-Formed/-3/224/36255

I believe Becky married and changed her name, but she was still there last year and a wonderful person. We have worked with her a lot in the past.

 

[disgruntled]

Another thing that could be done to help save these girls and perhaps prevent future girls from ever being placed there is to go after them on Google reviews. A few people have already posted some negative reviews but the more, and the more detailed, the more likely it is to make an impact. The few on there now some parents could write off as being disgruntled girls who never "learned" to be "godly" or "submissive" at the institution.
https://www.google.com/search?q=hep...8#lrd=0x88169da368d05b4f:0x6c67e941ddcc9aeb,1,,,

This would be very effective I think.

 

[Hope4More]

It might be helpful to have a separate resource thread attached to this one, to include actionable suggestions, and background research that has already been done/that is being done.

 

[Hraefn]

Here's a PDF of Ron Williams' rebuttals to the CNN documentary - he actually admits to some of the claimed abuse and acts as though it was normal but things have changed. Frightening!
http://jeriwho.net/lambs/Rebuttals.pdf
(from http://www.jeriwho.net/lambs/rwilliams.html)

 

[avondale14]

Here's a PDF of Ron Williams' rebuttals to the CNN documentary - he actually admits to some of the claimed abuse and acts as though it was normal but things have changed. Frightening!
http://jeriwho.net/lambs/Rebuttals.pdf
(from http://www.jeriwho.net/lambs/rwilliams.html)

Wow, it's as though i'm reading accounts from a bygone era. Disgruntled you have my absolute admiration. This is diabolical and to think that it is still going on horrifies me.

 

[Penhobby]

I attended Hephzibah House from July-December in 1992. Disgruntled has done an amazing job detailing the horrific treatment that we all went through. So, there is not really much more I need to add. I am here for her. I hate talking about this. Oh hell, my hands are even shaking as I type this response. I will say this. The most horrific aspect of HH, for me, was the mental aspect.

Last March, after nearly 25 years, I finally decided it was time to get some help, as in therapy. I had never tried before. My mom tried to get me to speak to a Christian counselor right after, but I could not talk about it. I never talked about it. I did not ever tell my husband about it. I was told that therapy would help, but it would get worse, before it got better. They weren’t kidding. I started having night terrors every single night. I would wake up terrified, unable to go back to sleep. I would stay awake until time to go to work, and then come home to do it all over again. And every night, no matter how hard I tried not to, I would still visit HH in my dreams. I knew the smells in the dream, the scratchy texture of the urine soaked sheets under my fingers, but most of all I knew the suffocation of fear.

My first therapy attempt did not end well. I just wanted to sleep. I am fortunate that the second attempt was more successful. I had to take three months off from work to achieve that success, but it was a success. My therapist told me once that Hephzibah House raped our minds over and over again. That is exactly what it felt like. You arrived, a normal teenage girl, and by the time you left, there was nothing left of who you were. They took everything.