March 02, 2005

Church Members Say Trust Violated In Abuse Case

CONWAY (NH)
TheChamplainChannel.com

POSTED: 10:53 am EST March 2, 2005

CONWAY, N.H. -- The directors of a church-run day-care center are trying to determine how a worker accused of molesting three young girls there had enough time alone with them to commit the alleged crimes.

Jeffrey Edmunds, 40, of Bridgton, Maine, worked at the Joyful Hearts Children Center between April 2003 and April 2004. He faces six felony charges, three for fondling young girls and three for having child pornography.

"The staff works together pretty much throughout the day. It's pretty rare that anyone would be alone," said Sandford Kravette, pastor of Christian Fellowship of New England.

"We're still a little uncertain when Jeff would have had opportunity to be alone with the children to do what's alleged," Kravette said.

Edmunds came to the attention of New Hampshire authorities after Bridgton police arrested him in January on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and invasion of privacy.

Posted by kshaw at March 2, 2005 03:05 PM