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Jerry Lauro was the PA Dept of Public Welfare (DPW) investigator dispatched from Harrisburg to follow up on a phoned in complaint and report of child sexual abuse filed by Dr. Alycia Chambers - a licensed State College, Pa psychologist. It was Lauro's report to Centre County DA Ray Gricar that led to the case against Jerry Sandusky being closed in 1998.
Dr Chambers was contacted by the mother of Victim 6, an 11 year old boy who 'worked out' with Jerry Sandusky in the PSU football facilities and was then "bear-hugged" or bare-hugged in the showers. Vic 6's mother wanted to know if she was "overreacting" in wanting to contact police and state child abuse experts about what she feared could be some kind of sexual abuse.
Chronology of Events & Reports from Det Schreffler, Dr. Chambers, & Freeh
MAY 3, 1998
May 3, 1998 1)Vic6's mother attends a banquet after Sandusky comes to their home and picks up 6 to go with him to workout. 2) 6 returns home and mentions wet hair and a shower. 3) After speaking with her son that night the mother becomes alarmed and calls Dr. Chambers early the following morning
MAY 4 1998
May 4, 1998 1) Early morning phone call from 6's mother to Dr. Chambers 2) 3pm Dr Chambers meets with 6 and determines after consulting with colleagues:My consultants agree that the incidents meet all of our definitions based on experience and education, of a likely pedophile’s pattern of building trust and gradual introduction of physical touching, within the context of a loving special relationship.Dr Chambers full report is sent to Det Schreffler on May 7, 1998 with the following cover letter
At 11am 6's mother called Det Schreffler and reported the incident of JS in the shower with her son in some detail -prior to her meeting with Dr. Chambers at 3pm police report pages 2 & 3
AT 12:55 Det Schreffler spoke with John Miller, case worker for Centre County Child and Youth Services (CYS) and Schreffler gave Miller a verbal report of his phone interview with 6's mother. They agreed to meet at 6pm. - See police report page 4
At 4pm Schreffler conferred with Centre County Deputy DA Karen Arnold who would handle the case for the prosecutors office. police report page 5
At 8pm and again at 9:30pm John Miller of CYS interviewed 6 and his mother at their home and taped those interviews. police report pages 6 and 7
But the Freeh Report p 43 says at 8pm on May 4 Schreffler & Miller were interviewing 6's friend BK who never became part of the charges because he was in the military overseas.
MAY 5, 1998
At 1:55 Schreffler gets a call from Jerry Lauro of PS Dept of Public Welfare (DPW) indicating he had been assigned to investigate from a referral by CYS's John Miller. Lauro and Schreffle agreed to meet on May 7in the AM to interview Sandusky. police report page 8 NOTE: This CYS referral is in dispute because Dr. Chambers called the PA Child Abuse Hotline upon a signed release by 6's mother and the Child Abuse Hotline goes to the DPW *below image from Dr. Chambers Report to Det Schreffler.
If you suspect a child is being abused, abandoned or
neglected, contact the agency listed below, call your local child protective
services agency, or call 9-1-1. Here is a link to the Pennsylvania state agency
for children services and the telephone number to report child abuse and
neglect in Pa: Pennsylvania
Department of Public Welfare Toll-Free: (800) 932-0313
Schultz's notes from a late night phone call from Harmon the PSU police chief. Freeh Report exhibit Exhibit 2H
-2-
· Kid has been seeing psychologist
· Probably emotional problems but articulate and believable
· Mother to psychologist and said she would call child abuse hotline & will generate an incident number – with Department of Welfare
· Other boy – interviewed last night
“ However, there were several conflicts of interest with CYS's involvement in the case” (e.g., CYS had various contracts with Second Mile - including placement of children in a Second Mile residential program?" the Second Mile's executive director had a contract with CYS to conduct children's evaluations?’ and the referral sheet from Chambers indicated the case might involve a foster child)."In light of these conflicts, the Department of Public Welfare (“DPW") took over the case from CYS on May 5. DPW officials in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania took the lead because of Sandusky's high profile and assigned it to caseworker Jerry Lauro.”
So Dr. Chambers called the Child Abuse Hotline and that is DPW
Schultz's notes from the Harmon call say DPW was contacted
But Freeh says Lauro's there on a referral from John Miller at CYS because of "conflicts of interest" involving some referral sheet indicating a "foster child". Victim 6 was not a foster child and Dr. Chambers was contacted by his mother.
So which one is it?
1) We see no "referral sheet from Dr. Chambers referencing a foster child" in the Freeh exhibits that is the reason Freeh gives for replacing CYS with DPW
2) Who authorized this "DPW taking over the case from CYS"?
3) The Chambers report was attached to Det. Schreffler's police report on May 8th and
4) Dr. Chambers contacted DPW via the hotline. - according to Harmon in Schultz' notes.
MAY 6, 1998
6's mother retrieves Sandusky messages and the caller ID leads to two other calls on May 3rd
MAY 7, 1998
At 9;10am Det Schreffler and investigator Wayne Weaver go to 6's home to gather the answering machine messages from Sandusky and have them transcribed.
At 11am Weaver and Schreffler meet with Lauro and Lauro receives the tape recording and phone call transcripts, states he has received the complete file from John Miller at CYS and provides the child abuse guidelines to Weaver and Schreffler
At 11:15 They go to 6's house so Lauro can interview 6's mother *the above on page 9 police report
According to Schreffler's notes, Lauro had received copies of the boy's recorded statement, yet Lauro advised the Special Investigative Counsel that he did not have full access to the facts of the case and was unaware of psychologist Chambers’ evaluation.Lauro said that if he "had seen Chambers report, I would not have stopped the investigation"And Freeh's investigators believe this? Let's look at the evidence provided so far.
1) Dr Chamber's made her report to the PA Hotline that goes to DPW
2) Dr. Chambers report is attached to the police report by Schreffler
3) Schreffler, DA Arnold, Miller and CYS, Harmon & even Schultz know of the report
4) Lauro interviews the mother & we are to believe they didn't talk about her son & Dr. Chambers? The one reason 6's mom made the report? Are you kidding me?
5) If he had seen Dr. Chamber's report he would not have stopped the investigation?
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What investigation Mr. Lauro? How can you call yourself an investigator and not know about the key event *Dr. Chambers evaluation - that caused 6's mother to make her report and Dr. Chambers to call your DPW hotline, AND revealed the second child Brandon or BK?
- Lauro's claim that he did not know about Dr Chambers evaluation is beyond belief.
- Lauro is responding to Dr. Chambers hot line call.
- Lauro is filled in by Miller of CYS who knows of the Chambers evaluation.
- Lauro speaks at length with Schreffler and Weaver who know of the report.
- Lauro interview 6's mother who's entire support for reporting the incident is based on Dr. Chambers evaluation telling her she is not overreacting.
- And Dr. Chamber's report is attached to Det Schreffler's report.
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