Cornwall Standard Freeholder

18 October 2008

Posted By TREVOR PRITCHARD

Two teenage girls who stayed with a Martintown foster family in the 1970s were impregnated by the parents' sons, the Cornwall Public Inquiry heard Friday.

Case files from the local branch of the Children's Aid Society showed that Larry and Brian Lapensee each were romantically involved with girls whom the CAS had placed in the group home.

The Lapensee home has come under the microscope this week at the inquiry, which is probing how institutions like the CAS responded to claims of historical sexual abuse. The agency closed the home in 1983 after allegations surfaced that Brian Lapensee was groping and sexually harassing the girls living there.

The first pregnancy occurred in the mid-1970s -a few years before retired CAS supervisor Ian MacLean, who spent his second straight day on the stand yesterday, took responsibility for the Lapensee home.

"Two nights ago," was all MacLean could say before inquiry commissioner Normand Glaude called a recess.

After the break, Lee took MacLean to his notes that documented the second 1979 pregnancy. A foster girl at the home had fallen "madly in love" with Brian Lapensee, and after she became pregnant, the two ran away to Alberta, the notes showed.

"I take it you would agree that what's described in the file is a problem for the CAS?" asked Lee.

"Indeed it is," said MacLean.

"And it should have been taken rather seriously at the time it occurred?"

"Yes."

Lee suggested that had MacLean known about the prior pregnancy, by the time Brian Lapensee and the second girl left for Alberta, the CAS would have had ample reason to shut the home down.

"I would certainly agree," said MacLean.

Lee also pointed out that Larry Lapensee would later be employed as a staff worker at his parents' home.

"Not only did you not have the information about his earlier activities (when) assessing the Brian Lapensee situation, you certainly didn't know about that in assessing Larry's reliability as a worker," said Lee.

"No I did not," said MacLean.

Brian Lapensee was never charged in connection with the sexual abuse allegations that emerged in the early 1980s.

MacLean testified Thursday that while he personally believed Lapensee should have been charged, his boss, former executive director Thomas O'Brien, felt otherwise.

CAS attorney Michele Allinotte pointed out, however, that O'Brien informed both the Crown's office and his provincial superiors of the allegations.

"Did the ministry ever recommend that you notify the police?" asked Allinotte.

"Never," said MacLean.

"Did the Crown ever suggest that you go to the police?"

"Never."

The inquiry resumes with a new witness on Monday.

Article ID# 1253369

My sister was in that group home she reported to my mom what went on in that home and my mom reported it to the proper people to get my sister out of that home. Funny how no one was charged with any criminal acts in this situation group home just shut down was there no common sense back then hell these girls were put their for their protection and were molested by people that lived in the home. Yet no surprise visits anytime on that group home completely announced visits way in advance so that they knew to clean up the place and make everything look just peachy keen

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #1 By dodger,

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #2 By RealityChecker

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #3 By RealityChecker

Here's an example....you had a convicted American sexual offender (Carl Stone) operating in St. Joseph's Villa in Cornwall. St. Joseph's Villa is a government operated long-term care facility (nursing home) which is inspected annually by the MOHLTC and then when they have complaints. They had/have government legislated regulations and standards to follow under the Nursing Home Act.

Anyone hear anything related to the complaints about a sexual offender working and operating within the walls of St. Joseph's Villa by the MOHLTC???