Former Gravesend children's home resident says: Church was like 'Dr Frankenstein'

By Heloise Wood
News Shopper
January 27, 2015

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/11750273.Former_Gravesend_children_s_home_resident_says__Church_was_like__Dr_Frankenstein_/

Teresa Cooper with her daughter Sarah in 2010

Church of England investigates abuse claims in former Gravesend children's home

A woman who said she was abused in a church-run Gravesend children’s home has hit back at the handling of a recently launched inquiry, dubbing the church "Doctor Frankenstein".

Teresa Cooper joined Kendall House in Pelham Road in 1981 shortly after her 14th birthday and allegedly experienced years of being sexual abused and force-fed drugs.

She received damages from the Church of England in 2010 as part of an out-of-court settlement but it did not accept responsibility for her claims.

Earlier this month (Jan 5) the Bishop of Rochester announced he was heading up an inquiry into the home, which closed in 1986.

However, Ms Cooper is furious at how the matter is being handled and believes the investigation is a conflict of interest.

The 47-year-old, who now lives in Essex, told News Shopper: "The government need to take notice and put their foot down because at the moment it’s the church investigating itself.

"The church thought they were God but they did what God would never have done. They were Dr Frankenstein. 

"I was drugged and sexually abused there - they wrecked my life.

"I’m so shocked at the church. I found it over Twitter as if I hadn’t been through enough. It was adding insult to injury. It’s not the place you expect to find out.

"They’d give me really high doses of lots of drugs and then my children were born with birth defects.

"I know another girl from the home whose grandchild was recently born with water on the brain so the effects are being seen generations later."

The Bishop of Rochester announced the inquiry on January 5.

A spokeswoman for the Bishop of Rochester said: “Bishop James is very genuine in his desire to encourage all former residents to contact the review.

“Former residents or those who have concerns about Kendall House are encouraged to participate fully.

“They can do this by emailing kendallreview@rochester.anglican.org”