Provo Canyon School officials have suspended a staff member following allegations of sexual misconduct with a student.
The male staff member is alleged to have had sexual intercourse with the 15-year-old female student on four separate occasions. Unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor more than three years younger than the offender is a third-degree felony.Provo Police are investigating the matter as well as allegations of sexual misconduct involving other students.
Provo Canyon School is a residential treatment program for adolescents with behavioral disorders and substance abuse problems. Ken Stettler, licensing specialist at the Department of Social Services' Office of Licensing, said it is against policy for staff members in mixed-gender units to be alone with students.
The mother of the student said she is outraged about what she feels is the lack of protection afforded her daughter at the school.
"I can't believe they allowed the man access to her on four separate occasions," said the mother.
Robert Harrison, school administrator, acknowledged, "There has been an allegation of misconduct. We have reported it to the appropriate agencies and beyond that I can't comment on that at the present time."
Provo Police detective Dave Bolda said the staff member worked at the school for one year. Bolda interviewed the staff member, witnesses and other students.
A therapist at Provo Canyon School phoned the girl's mother after learning about the alleged incidents. The mother, of Seattle, Wash., came to Provo last Wednesday to pick up her daughter.
They planned to fly the next day to Portland, Ore., where the mother had arranged to admit her daughter to another treatment program. But late Wednesday evening the daughter ran away from the hotel where the two were staying.
She was located Saturday in Salt Lake City, and has been taken to the Portland school.
While in Provo, the mother contacted the Deseret News to express outrage about what she believes occurred at Provo Canyon School.
"They (schools like Provo Canyon) say to you we can take care of your child and they charge an exorbitant amount of money," she said. "For this to happen to her is devastating."
She said her daughter has problems - that's why she was at Provo Canyon School. She was sexually molested as a child, has used drugs and been promiscuous.
"If there is a girl voted most likely to not say no, it's my daughter," the mother said. "She was told this wasn't going to happen, that this place was safe."
She said her daughter was doing well after four months at Provo Canyon School, and was about to begin therapy to help her deal with her past sexual abuse.
"She was trying hard," the mother said. "We had every reason to hope that in a year to two years she'd be able to work through all this. Now it's all exacerbated so bad."