Allan Colman Cook

Allan Cook was an LDS church member who was married in the Provo, Utah Mormon temple in 1980.

Cook graduated from Ogden High School in the 1960s.

He served a full-time LDS mission to the Germany South mission.

Cook received a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University in the 1970s. In 1980, he received a master’s degree in education from Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo.

He was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi fraternity at BYU.

He was an employee in the Jordan School District at the time of his marriage in 1980.

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Thanks to your donations and support, FLOODLIT has obtained court records in Cook’s case.

Allan Cook sexual abuse case: letters of support

From a letter to the judge in April 2020 by the victim’s parents, who described Cook as a “central figure” in their daughter’s life:

“Allan [Cook] has been our go-to babysitter for the past 6 years and our saving grace. […] When [Cook] does get released from jail, we have a very specific safety plan in place for all of our children:
• An adult will be present in the same room with [Cook] at all times the children are around.
• No sleep overs in the home – even if another adult is present
• Quarterly family therapy/counseling sessions to process all feelings of children
• Continued regular discussions with our children about body safety”

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From a letter to the judge in April 2020 by a relative of Cook:

“[When] we discovered there was a problem with Allan […] We knew there was cause for concern regarding the extent of the problem and the impact on the [potential victims]. […] Boundaries were put in place immediately to protect the children in every way.

“[…] Three days following the [discovery], we had a [group] discussion […] to get answers from Allan and to determine the next step. Everyone had an opportunity to express their feelings of anger, frustration and disappointment. Although it was embarrassing and difficult for him to answer piercing questions, he was open and honest. The information given by the [potential victims] and the information Allan gave was similar. We were supportive of getting therapy for the [potential victims], if needed, and therapy for Allan without question. We knew [redacted] and [redacted] would be talking to their Bishop for direction and knew that Allan would talk to his. The course that followed was not one that the family wanted or expected. We knew that DCFS would become involved; however, we were naïve in our thought that we would have the opportunity for helpful […] counseling. The experience was quite the opposite. The family was shocked and devasted [sic] when we discovered, through letters from attorneys offering their services, that there were four first degree felony counts against Allan. What we felt had happened, though serious, was nothing that warranted a felony charge.

“While the [potential victims] have been physically protected during this time of separation from Allan, they have not been protected from the emotional challenges that have come with that. I want to protect my family from the false notion that separating yourself from a family or family member that loves, supports and works together to solve the problem is a good idea. I recognize there are situations that are toxic with irreconcilable problems when a separation may be necessary – this is not one of those. I believe we can save this family by providing support to every member, including Allan. This situation has impacted all of us in different ways, and the support needed has been different for each one.

“[…] We are a loving and forgiving family, but we understand that Allan needs some additional help. Allan is a good man that makes positive contributions to his family, community and church. He has a character flaw that needs to be addressed and understood. The time he has served in jail has given the family an opportunity to evaluate our feelings, participate in counseling where needed, observe the needs of the children, and make decisions on how to move forward. There is no additional benefit that will come from extended jail time for any of us.

The most effective ways to protect the children long term are:
1. To enroll Allan in a Sex Offender Treatment Program sanctioned by the Department of Corrections outside of the prison system. We are aware of the wait time if he stays in the system. Allan is 71 years old and needs to be involved in the program as soon as possible.
2. To avoid any situation where the [potential victims] would be alone with Allan. There will always be another adult present.
3. To avoid jail time beyond one year”

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From a letter to the judge in April 2020 by the parents of other potential victims of Cook:

“As soon as we found out that something seriously wrong had happened between Allan [Cook] and our children, [redacted] and I acted immediately. We sought counsel from our local church leader.”

“[…] Within three days of learning what had happened with [Allan Cook] and the [potential victims], we had a huge family counsel. We discussed boundaries that needed to be put into place. Allan was asked very pointed and difficult questions. He was asked about his sexual history, if he knew what his triggers were, and what exactly happened between him and the children. If clarification was needed, the question was asked again. As a family we knew that [Cook] needed serious therapy, and treatment. We were on top of what needed to happen so that we could avoid another tragedy.”

“[…] Allan has spent his entire life serving those around him. […] Allan is the type of man that is there when you need that extra help. We recognize that Allan has a serious flaw. We believe with the right professional help and family support he can overcome his challenges and continue to be an active part of our family. Life will never be the same again for us, things will change, but we do believe that Allan can and will learn from this experience and emerge a better man.”

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In 2022, Cook was reported to the judge as being in violation of probation.