FALCONER – Members of the Allegheny Highlands Council for the Boy Scouts will host a members-only meeting Wednesday focusing on prevention of sexual assault and molestation against youth involved in the program. That after allegations of sexual assault of have come forward involving a 12-year-old boy and a local scoutmaster.
According to a report from the Meadville Tribune, 74-year-old Donald Shriver of Lakewood will be going to trial on charges he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy during a 2017 camping event in East Mead Township, Crawford County. Shriver was the child’s scout leader at the time of an event at Camp Chickasaw, 8848 S. Wayland Road, from Aug. 18-20, 2017, according to the criminal complaint filed by police in the case.
According to a statement from the council’s executive Nathaniel Thornton to the Post-Journal -“Upon learning of these reports in late 2017, we removed this individual and prohibited him from any future participation in the Boy Scouts of America,” Thornton was quoted as saying.
Thornton also said the council did everything it could to respond to the event so that law enforcement could take over.
Thornton also announced that scout leaders will be meeting to address the importance of youth protection training, the service that equips parents and leaders with the tools necessary to address suspected abuse, inappropriate behavior and bullying.
Shriver – meanwhile – was released on $25,000 unsecured bond. A trial in the case will be scheduled for the May term of criminal court, the Meadville Tribune reported.
Leave a Reply