The allegations against Johnny Buster Likens, if true, are horrifying, and likely qualify as some of the most barbaric crimes committed in our county in decades.
The indictments charge that Likens had molested nine children over at least 23-years, and there may be more. If the man is proven guilty in a court of law, he should receive decades in prison. However, any sentence could not hope to find justice for the scores of children who are emotionally scarred by contact with a sexual predator from whom they could not escape.
The question I have heard countless times over the past week is, “how could this have gone on so long without someone knowing about it?”
The question is a valid one. If true, how could so many children have been violated in a foster home without someone...anyone knowing about it?
Surely a grandparent, teacher, clergyman or government official could not have helped but notice changes in these children. Mental health counselors say abuse victims show definite signs of being molested. It strains credibility to believe that no one noticed anything like this.
If someone noticed there were problems, and failed to either report or investigate them, then how much responsibility do they bear in this tragedy?
Consider this if you will. If proven true, there are at least nine young men and women who will be faced with mental health problems due to their contact with Johnny Likens. Their minds will be laced with horrible dreams which may follow them for the rest of their lives.
If a child welfare investigator knew about this, and did nothing, then they should be held, at least partially responsible for the madness that happened in that home.
Further, if this was allowed to take place for 24 years, how many more cases of sexual abuse were swept under the rug due to indifference? The public deserves to know the answer to that question.
Post a Comment
