Aug 28, 2006 5:44 pm US/Eastern
Rev. Vows To Improve Baker House Following Scandal
DORCHESTER (CBS4) ―
The Ella J. Baker House in Dorchester continues to deal with allegations of sexual misconduct by a staff member. A counselor was fired two weeks ago following accusations he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. Rev. Eugene Rivers oversees the facility, he spoke out Monday about the allegations.
"When we heard a young person may have been violated in any way we were devestated," said Rivers.
Rev. Rivers is asking for public input after a counselor at the Ella J. Baker house, 32-year-old Derrick Patrick, was charged with paying the girl for sex. In one incident when she refused, she claims he attacked her.
"I couldn't move. I could do nothing but take the pain and cry," said the teen.
She says it started as a consensual relationship. "He broke everything. Everything is gone between me and him....between me and the Ella J. Baker house."
Patrick has been fired. Rivers says he's installed surveillance cameras and is determined to continue ministering to troubled teens in the city even through state funding has been cut.
"If someone thought that cutting funding was cutting a mission, they are misinformed," said Rivers.
Rivers says he will create a plan to improve the Baker house and will make it public in 30 days.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
