Summary
In Methuen, Massachusetts, Mormon church “babysitter” Kevin Curlew sexually abused a child.
Allegedly, LDS officials were told of the abuse but failed to report it to law enforcement authorities, instead attempting to silence the victim’s mother.
In 2010, a judge dismissed the claims against the LDS church, leaving only a default judgment against Curlew.
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Donate »Facts
Alleged coverup- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church,
- Positions: Other leader,
- Crime: 2000s, in Maine, Massachusetts,
- Convicted: 2000s, 2006,
- Crime scenes: LDS building,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Mission: no
- Locations: Maine, Massachusetts,
Sources
- Church baby sitter charged with sex assaults,
- Mother of Sexually Abused Child Brings Suit Against Mormon Church,
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1. Church baby sitter charged with sex assaults
METHUEN -- A 43-year-old man trusted to baby-sit the children of church members while they worshipped is charged with sexually abusing a young boy inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Kevin F. Curlew, 1700 Bridge St., Dracut, was arrested yesterday, charged with three counts each of indecent assault and battery on a person under 14 years of age, enticement of a child, assault and battery, and reckless endangerment of a child; and one count of kidnapping.
"All of the incidents involved inappropriate touching," said Methuen police Chief Joseph E. Solomon. "All of the incidents occurred at the church."
Solomon said Curlew joined the Mormon church in July, and as a requirement had to volunteer. Solomon said Curlew volunteered by watching the children of those who were attending meetings, functions and worship services at the church at 39 Hill St.
"We don't have any information that there are other victims out there, but it is a concern of ours due to his access to children," Solomon said.
Curlew victimized the young boy three times in the past six months, Solomon said. He said police are also working on a joint investigation with police in an area community he would not name, looking into a possible fourth incident in that community involving the same victim.
He said the kidnapping charge stemmed from an incident where, "he held the victim in a room at the church against his will in a violent manner."
Police would say only that the victim was under the age of 14 and was "physically doing fine," according to Capt. Kristopher McCarthy. Police were alerted to the case Monday, Solomon said.
Little is known about Curlew. Police say he has no criminal record. Solomon said Curlew is a recent transplant from Maine, has never been married and has no children of his own.
Jennifer Kunlis, 22, his neighbor in their apartment building, said Curlew acted strangely much of the time.
"I didn't really know him that well, but he was kind of a weird guy," she said. "He would do things like really yell at the kids if they were not wearing a jacket."
Curlew was arrested at the police station yesterday. He went to the station voluntarily for an interview requested by police after the boy disclosed the incidents to someone who was a mandated reporter under state child abuse laws and told authorities, Solomon said.
Curlew was jailed overnight by Methuen police, held on $25,000 cash bail. He was scheduled to be arraigned this morning in Lawrence District Court.
Detective Lt. Michael Wnek said police are investigating the possibility of more victims and said anyone with information could contact him at (978) 794-3245 ext. 128.
The phone at the church went unanswered.
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2. Mother of Sexually Abused Child Brings Suit Against Mormon Church
Methuen, Massachusetts - The Boston firm law of Stanzler Levine, LLC (stanzlerlevine.com), has brought suit in Lawrence Superior Court against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Stanzler Levine represents the mother of a young boy sexually assaulted at the Mormon Church in Methuen, Massachusetts. The complaint alleges that the Church, located at 39 Hill Avenue, permitted a man with a criminal record including prior acts of sexual abuse to act as the Church's babysitter. The Complaint further alleges that after the mother notified Church officials of the abuse, the officials, rather than immediately reporting the incident to the authorities as required by Massachusetts Law, attempted to silence the mother in order to avoid bad publicity. In order to protect the boy from further harm, the suit has been filed under the name "John Doe."
The boy's mother, whose name is also kept confidential in order to protect her son's identity, stated, "I brought this action only after it became came clear that the Church's concern was not with my son's welfare, but with protecting themselves from bad publicity." A convert to Mormonism twenty years ago, the boy's mother left the Church after reporting the abuse to Church officials in the fall of 2005. "I was horrified that after I told the Church officials about the abuse, they still allowed the perpetrator free reign at the Church, and my son was terrified." The boy suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and is in therapy to help deal with the trauma.
After authorities were finally notified in late December 2005, the perpetrator, Kevin Curlew was arrested and confessed. In June of 2006, Curlew was sentenced to 9 to 10 years and he is currently serving his sentence at MCI Cedar Junction. During the investigation, the Methuen police also arrested another Church volunteer, Peter Paquette, for failing to register as a sex offender. Methuen police detectives also complained that the Church had not been cooperating with the investigation, and it had been nearly two weeks after Curlew's arrest before the Church turned over its member list for the Methuen ward.
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