Troy Church Preschool Sexual Abuse Probe Advances

By Bisi Onile-Ere
Click on Detroit
June 7, 2013

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/troy-church-preschool-sex-abuse-probe-advances/-/1719418/20456934/-/fora0tz/-/index.html

[with video]

Spokesmen for a church in Troy have spoken out on an investigation into a possible sexual assault of a child at the church's preschool program.

Two weeks ago, a parent filed a report with police alleging their child was abused at the St. Augustine's Lutheran Church preschool in Troy.

On Thursday, church spokesmen confirmed the person accused was a volunteer.

Church spokesman Richard Gady said the allegations stemmed from an incident several years ago.

"It's important to get the message out that we are protecting the children involved, the parents involved in our preschool, and we are using this opportunity to disclose this to you with whatever information we can honestly give you," Gady said.

Child Protective Services has joined in the investigation. Classes have continued at the preschool without interruption.

Troy police Capt. Bob Redmond gave and update on the investigation.

"We are searching out and talking with, as the church is, for all the parents who have kids that attended, we will do a very in-depth and thorough investigation and it will lead us where it leads us," Redmond said.

Police plan to talk with everyone who has worked at the preschool in recent years.

Investigators will not say if the individual alleged to have been involved in abuse is a man or a woman.