By Todd C. Frankel
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 6, 2007
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/292BC0D8DCE316A1862572B5000FF1C6?OpenDocument
Ste. Genevieve — His stomach churned thinking about the children. All those children.
Preparing for church services last weekend, the Rev. Jim Hanson considered talking about the children and what Billy Huck is said to have done to them — how Huck allegedly confessed to molesting 40 children over 30 years at the in-home day-care center run by his wife.
But the priest, like many people here, did not know quite what to say. Everyone knew the Hucks. Hundreds of parents had trusted them to baby-sit over the years. It seemed too much for this rural community of 4,400 to bear.
 |
| Ste. Genevieve &mdash The swingset sits empty at this house near Ste. Genevieve where police say William E. Huck Sr., recently admitted to molesting 40 children over 30 years. Photo by Todd Frankel |
So the priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church decided to say nothing.
"It has sort of thrown everyone into a shocked silence," Hanson said this week.
The case started out small but quickly grew. The scope caught even investigators by surprise.
William E. Huck Sr., 60, a retired railroad worker known as "Billy," was arrested two weeks ago on charges of molesting two children. A 4-year-old boy said something alarming to his parents, leading them to believe he might have been abused. The boy's sister also told them she had been touched inappropriately. The parents called authorities.
A detective with the Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff's Department learned that the boy had been warned by Huck not to talk, according to court documents. The detective brought Huck to the station for an interview on March 25.
Huck waived his right to an attorney and confessed, providing a detailed account of how he engaged in sexual contact with the boy 12 different times, according to court documents. Two days later, authorities interviewed Huck again. This time he admitted to a long history of molesting children, but did not elaborate, according to a probable cause statement.
"It was shocking," Lt. Tim Craig said. "This is definitely a far-reaching investigation."
Craig said more charges are possible. Huck remained in jail Thursday on $1 million bond.
The news has filled parents with dread. They were afraid to ask their children about what happened at the Hucks' house, but knew they must.
"I'm praying and hoping it didn't happen to them," said a mother of two who for years used the Hucks for baby-sitting. She spoke on the condition her name was not used.
Her kids told her they do not recall any abuse, but she continues to worry it occurred when they were too young to remember.
With so many potential victims, a local mental health center has decided to host an open forum at 7 p.m. Monday at the American Legion Hall to talk about child sexual abuse.
"This is pretty hard to deal with," said Audrey Burger, director of children services for the Community Counseling Center. "We felt we had an obligation to reach out to folks."
Billy and Joyce Huck have deep roots in the area, according to friends. They grew up here. Billy Huck graduated from high school and went to work on the railroad as a flagman. Burn marks crisscross his arms and torso, injuries suffered in a house fire when he was young. He is an avid hunter. He is a member of the Deer Club. He attends community squirrel fries. His wife, Joyce, loves to go to yard sales. They have three grown children.
Joyce Huck attracted clients by word-of-mouth. No advertising. People just knew where to turn if they needed someone to watch their children while they worked. Neighbors used her. So did others from around this area, which is about 50 miles south of St. Louis and is known for its rock quarries, antique shops and preserved French colonial structures.
The day care she provided, which earned the Hucks about $260 a week, did not need a state license because Joyce Huck watched fewer than five children at any given time.
No one ever filed a complaint with social service agencies or law enforcement about her modest operation, according to authorities.
Joyce Huck was unaware that her husband was abusing children, Craig said.
Billy Huck said the abuse occurred when he was left alone with the children, according to legal documents. The last incident occurred two weeks ago when his wife left for a doctor's appointment, the documents say. Some of the Hucks' neighbors supported her, saying they believe she really did not know what her husband was doing.
Joyce Huck spoke briefly about the charges against her husband.
"I just never thought I'd be going through this," she told the Post-Dispatch in a phone interview before declining further comment.
The Hucks' home sits on a narrow road a few miles outside of town. It is a modest brick house. A wood rocking chair was on the small front porch. A stone statue of Mary was in the front yard. A screened-in gazebo stood in the back.
Next to the house sat a playset, including a plastic playhouse and metal slide. There was also a swing set, its three seats swaying, empty, in the wind.
Contact: tfrankel@post-dispatch.com
or 314-340-8110
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.