Sexual abuse investigation turns up 12 new victims
Ex-Saint John police officer was convicted of sexually abusing children in 1999
A sexual abuse investigation into a former Saint John police officer has turned up more than 12 new victims in the last three months, a private investigator announced on Wednesday.
Saint John hired Toronto-based Investigative Solutions Network Inc. in August to look into at least one other historical complaint against the late Kenneth Estabrooks.
Estabrooks has been found guilty in September 1999 of indecent assault against four children, dating back to the 1950s. The abuse included fondling and oral sex.
Pat Woods, the city manager, said more than a dozen alleged victims have been unearthed by the investigation.
Dave Perry, a private investigator, announced on Wednesday that men and women are coming forward with stories of assault and shame. Perry said he has been told that lives have been utterly ruined by Estabrooks.
Perry said he's a long way from closing the file and writing the report.
"Every victim you speak to, you could be identifying two, three or four more. So the numbers continue to grow," Perry said.
Perry said every person who has come forward in these past few months have all told him they did try to tell an adult.
"In many cases, they were rebuffed, they were scolded," Perry said.
"And they were told never to speak about that person in that light again, because they were never believed."
Saint John’s city manager said $100,000 has been set aside for the Estabrooks investigation. Investigators say their work in its "infancy."
The city will be providing unlimited counseling to alleged victims through the city’s employee assistance program.