Boys adopted and fostered by Thomas Cusick

Incident date: 1999 Oct 26

Child placement type: Adoption

Family size: more than 12

placement

Persons:

Organizations: Downey Side - New Jersey office

Tom Cusick adopted or fostered 28 children, 4 girls and 24 boys. Most of boys were 8 or 9 year old when placed with him. Cusick was unmarried, but had a live-in female companion. At least 5 of the boys accused him of sexually abusing them.

Cusick committed suicide 2 days before the trial was to begin. Cusick claimed to be a famous composer, but apparently his income was only from foster and adoption subsidies.

Parent topics: abused adoptees

Documents

Title	Publication date
On the front line for children Michelle Henry prosecutes abuse cases. It's gruesome work with high stakes.	2001 Dec 16
Memorial service held for accused child molester	2000 Apr 16
Suspect took an alias, then took his own life	2000 Apr 14
Sex-abuse foster dad kills himself	2000 Apr 13
MOLEST SUSPECT ODS	2000 Apr 13
ELDEST ADOPTEE: ALLEGATIONS BASELESS BOBBY CUSICK SAID AN ESTRANGED BROTHER HAD INVENTED THE CHARGES.	2000 Apr 13
JUDGE WON'T DROP SEX CHARGE A BUCKS MAN ACCUSED OF MOLESTATION HAD ASKED THAT ONE OF THE 33 COUNTS AGAINST HIM BE DISMISSED.	2000 Feb 5
Cusick trial to begin next month	2000 Jan 15
JUDGE ORDERS TRIAL FOR MIDDLETOWN MAN IN SEXUAL-ABUSE CASE THE ADOPTIVE AND FOSTER FATHER OF 28 CHILDREN FACES 21 CRIMINAL CHARG	1999 Dec 17
Sex abuse by ex-Islander alleged	1999 Dec 17
'COMPOSER' HAS NO CREDITS MUSIC CAREER MAY BE MAKE-BELIEVE	1999 Nov 4
Islanders say foster dad abused them, too	1999 Oct 29
Foster dad to fight sex abuse charges	1999 Oct 27
SONGWRITER IS ACCUSED IN SEX ABUSE OF 5 KIDS	1999 Oct 27
BUCKS FOSTER FATHER GIVES HIMSELF UP IN ALLEGED ABUSE CASE	1999 Oct 27
FOSTER FATHER OF 28 CHARGED WITH ABUSING FIVE BOYS	1999 Oct 27
Adoptive dad faces multiple abuse charges	1999 Oct 27
With fewer parents to care for them, kids going to uncertain foster homes	1999 Oct 26
Foster dad to dozens accused of sex abuse, Award-winning playwright disappears from Pennsylvania community he settled in after	1999 Oct 26
COMPOSER ACCUSED OF ABUSE	1999 Oct 26