News-Democrat
May 6, 2009
http://www.bnd.com/breaking_news/story/758014.html
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| Rob Hawkins. - Provided to BND |
A Belleville lawyer, who handles sexual abuse civil cases, said Wednesday that he received several calls about Freeburg District 70 Superintendent Robin R. Hawkins before and after Hawkins committed suicide on Sunday.
"I've been contacted by several people about allegations of sexual impropriety by Mr. Hawkins seeking legal advice," said Mike Weilmuenster, the lawyer who recently successfully represented a sexual assault victim against the Belleville Diocese.
Weilmuenster has not yet filed anything on behalf of the group or an individual.
Illinois State Police confirmed they were pursuing an investigation regarding Hawkins, but haven't confirmed the nature of the allegations.
"As a result of the ongoing media coverage, we have had several people contact us regarding the investigation," said District 11 Interim Commander Lt. Mark Bramlett. The investigation remains open, he said.
Hawkins' body was found Sunday morning sitting in a car in a barn on his property near Belleville. The cause of his death appeared to be suicide by carbon monoxide asphyxiation, St. Clair County Coroner Rick Stone said.
The school district released a statement on Monday that stated "an old investigation into allegations against Hawkins had recently been reopened."
The district release went on to say that the allegations were investigated many yeas ago by the police and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the allegations were unfounded.
A lawsuit that recently was settled in federal court stated the Hawkins and District 70 wrongly fired a district bookkeeper, Debra Lewis, then hired Hawkins' "special friend."
The suit also alleged that Hawkins befriended a group of friends called "Rob's boys," and at least three of the boys, now men, are employed by the school district.
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