Child Advocates Ask Criminal Investigation of Kiryas Joel Abuse Allegations

By Carol Reif
Putnam Daily Voice
May 6, 2016

http://putnam.dailyvoice.com/news/child-advocates-ask-criminal-investigation-of-kiryas-joel-abuse-allegations/657901/

Police are investigating after a video purporting to show an official at the United Talmudical Academy in Kiryas Joel touching a student was posted on Facebook. Photo Credit: wikipedia.org

A video that appears to show a Kiryas Joel school official fondling a male student was posted online after child advocates accused authorities of doing nothing about previous abuse complaints, according to multiple media reports.

The video hit Facebook on Sunday, May 1.

Kiryas Joel is a village in the Orange County town of Monroe.

According to a report by lohud.com , police are saying that the video is "similar in nature" to one investigated in the fall of 2015 by the Orange County Child Abuse Unit.

No criminal charges were brought in that investigation, police told lohud.com .

According to media reports, the official works at the United Talmudical Academy in the Satmar Hasidic community.

Child advocates rallied in Albany this week in support of legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitation on reporting abuse cases, media reports said.

Advocates are also calling for more oversight on private schools and a criminal investigation of the Kiryas Joel allegations, media reports said.

The video is being investigated by state police, and county legal entities, the lohud.com report said.

The school has refused to comment on the allegations, lohud.com said.