The sexual assault of a child at Roosevelt Lake has prompted Scioto County Commissioner Scottie Powell to ask treatment providers to temporarily suspend organized outings to county parks while officials review safety policies.
Roosevelt Lake is not controlled by Scioto County. However, Powell said the incident brought renewed attention to complaints he has received about large groups from treatment facilities visiting Earl Thomas Conley Park and other county-owned recreation areas.
“Like many of you, I was deeply disturbed by the recent alleged assault of a child at Roosevelt Lake,” Powell said. “While that incident remains under investigation and did not occur at a Scioto County-controlled park, it has highlighted concerns that many citizens have already brought to my attention regarding organized group outings by treatment providers at our county parks.”
Powell said residents have contacted him over the past several months to express concerns about groups being transported to parks with what they believe is little or no supervision.
He has since spoken with several local treatment providers and asked them to voluntarily limit or suspend organized outings to county parks while commissioners review what additional safeguards may be needed.
Powell said some providers have already agreed to cooperate.
He is also asking any treatment provider he has not yet contacted to temporarily suspend organized park outings until the review is complete.
Possible New Rules for Organized Groups
Powell said the county is working with the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office to determine what legal authority commissioners have to adopt additional park regulations.
Ideas under review include:
- Minimum supervision requirements for organized groups
- Permits for recurring group activities
- Additional rules intended to keep parks safe and accessible
- Better coordination between treatment providers, probation officials, and county leaders
Powell has also spoken with probation officials about people on electronic monitoring and what supervision rules may apply during organized outings.
“This effort is not about opposing recovery or the important work that treatment providers do in our community,” Powell said. “It is about making sure our county parks remain safe for the families, children, and residents who use them every day.”
Providers Concerned About Public Perception
Powell addressed the issue again during Thursday’s Scioto County commissioners meeting while discussing the recent string of sexual assault cases involving children.
He said he was not sure whether the crimes were becoming more frequent or whether social media and increased reporting were simply making the public more aware of them.
“I think some of these things have happened for years and years, and now they stay in the news cycle a lot longer,” Powell said. “As leaders, it’s our job to figure out how we can help protect people better.”
Powell said the Roosevelt Lake assault had become linked in the public’s mind to treatment providers because investigators said the suspect had been at the lake with a group from a local rehabilitation facility.
“Bad people do bad things regardless,” Powell said.
He said he recently met with State Rep. Justin Pizzulli and representatives from a large group of treatment providers.
According to Powell, the providers share concerns about how the public now views their clients and their facilities.
“It was a real conversation about how we deal with the stigma and how we create safety for the public,” Powell said.
He said the providers are considering new policies and procedures for public outings and appeared mindful of how large groups can affect other park visitors.
“I was encouraged by that,” Powell said. “It’s a tough situation. Anytime you’re dealing with people, people are messy. People in general are messy.”
Smith: Children Have Rights, Too
Commissioner Merit Smith said he has worked with children for approximately 40 years and believes the reports of abuse never seem to get better.
“When I hear a report of an incident like what allegedly happened at Shawnee Forest, it makes me angry,” Smith said.
Smith stressed that he was not trying to blame every person in treatment or target any particular group.
“People have rights to be in public places, but little 10-year-olds have rights to go to the bathroom,” he said.
Smith said fourth-grade students should also be able to arrive for a field trip at Earl Thomas Conley Park without unexpectedly encountering a group of more than 70 adults.
Powell and Smith recently visited the park and watched several groups arrive from different facilities.
“I don’t know that I saw any bad behavior, but it is intimidating,” Smith said. “You don’t know who they are or where they are from.”
Smith said better communication between treatment providers, county officials, and the public could help families feel safer.
“The situation with this little girl is so horrible,” he said.
Smith also noted that several other recent child abuse cases in the area had no connection to treatment providers or park outings.
“A Tragedy That Could Have Been Avoided”
Commissioner Will Mault described the Roosevelt Lake case as “a tragedy that could have been avoided.”
“I hope it doesn’t occur in the future,” Mault said.
Powell said the county will continue working with treatment facilities, law enforcement, probation officials, and prosecutors to develop policies that improve safety without unfairly stigmatizing people receiving addiction treatment.
“I want the public to know that we are taking these concerns seriously,” Powell said.
