exposing the dark side of adoption
Register Log in

Republic Foster Parent Mark Obrien Charged with Sodomy, Child Abuse and Possession of Child Pornography

public

Republic Foster Parent Mark Obrien Charged with Sodomy, Child Abuse and Possession of Child Pornography

Republic police say two separate children reported Mark Obrien molested them

Emily Rittman, Ben Knaup

Reporter, Photographer

5:39 p.m. CST, January 31, 2012

Republic, Mo—

A Republic foster parent is charged with molesting the children he was trusted to care for. Two different children say Mark D. Obrien abused them while they lived with him at his home on Maple Avenue in Republic.

A judge issued a warrant for Obrien’s arrest. The allegations date back to 2007. “We believe he has been a foster parent over the last ten years to approximately 35 children,” Republic Police Department Sgt. Mark Wilcox said. “There have been allegations of him making one of the children sleep outside in a dog pen.” Obrien is charged with one count of felony child abuse, three counts of statutory sodomy and two counts of possession of child pornography.

Never miss a story - get KSPR news in your e-mail!

One child told officers Obrien molested him on numerous occasions from April 2007 until June 2009. “Eight months later the same allegations, different child this time,” Wilcox said. The second child who reported abuse lived in the home from June 2009 until June 2010. “There are many wonderful foster parents, coaches and teachers out there that do not abuse children. However, in some situations that may be an avenue that may make that easier for some people that do abuse children,” said Kim Lowery-Grimm of the Child Advocacy Center.

A 22 page search warrant shows officers seized cell phones, cameras and a computer from the home. “There were questionable websites that had been gone to that were child related and also possible child pornography pictures on the computer itself,” Wilcox said.

In order to be a foster parent, Obrien had to pass criminal background checks and go through a detailed screening process that included visits and interviews. “If someone has not ever had any open hotlines or open investigations on them or criminal charges have never been pressed, something like a background check on them would show nothing,” Lowery-Grimm said.

According to a search warrant after the first allegation, Obrien went to the YMCA to find one of the alleged victims. “Obrien told him that he really missed him and wished that the child would come back over to his house,” the officer wrote in the search warrant. “The child stated that before being asked to leave by the YMCA staff, Obrien took a picture of him on his cell phone.”

A Missouri Department of Social Services spokesman says if a foster parent is charged with a crime against a child, their ability to foster children is suspended until the outcome of that case in court. O’Brien’s bond is set at $100,000.

Foster Parent Screening and Application Process Provided by a Missouri Department of Social Services Spokesperson:

An individual interested being considered for licensure as a foster or adoptive parent first completes the application, CS-42. Then, the following background steps are completed for every applicant and adult household member (age 17 and older).

1. The Children’s Service Worker will conduct child abuse and neglect background checks in every state where each household member 17 years of age and older has resided since the age of 17.

Each household member 17 years of age and older must register with the Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR). The registry is maintained by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). It will search the following systems:

CA/N records (findings of ”Preponderance of Evidence” court adjudicated”, or prior to August 28, 2004, “Probable Cause“ findings),

Employee Disqualification List, maintained by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS),

Child-care facility licensing records maintained by DHSS,

Residential living facility and nursing home records, maintained by DHSS,

Employee Disqualification Registry maintained by Department of Mental Health;

Foster parent licensing records, maintained by the Children’s Division (CD); and

Sex Offender Registry information maintained by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP).

3. State and national criminal record checks will be completed for each household member age 17 or older, or any person under the age of 17 who has been certified as an adult. These checks are completed by the submission of fingerprints by the applicants and required household members. The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) will complete a state criminal record check and then electronically send the fingerprint images to the FBI for a national search of criminal records.

The address of residence of the resource home will be entered at the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s sexual offender list located on the web at: http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Root/l. The search will determine if a sexual offender is registered as residing at the address of the resource home.

The following screening steps are completed in the process to recommend foster home licensure:

Joint and separate interviews with the applicants; children, and all others in the home. There shall be a minimum of four separate in-home consultations during the pre-service training. The total number of hours spent conducting visits shall consist of at least ten hours.

Compliance with the physical aspects of licensing regulations must be determined.

A minimum of three references, returned;

A completed Foster Family Profile, CD-56;

Review of Family Support Division (FSD) screens. The county should begin the review by using the following screens:

SCLR - Department of Social Services (DSS) data base (access with name, sex, and date of birth),

IPAR FSD information (accessed by DCN),

FMPX – FSD participation screen (accessed by DCN or SSN),

OVCI - Claims and Restitution (CARS) information (accessed by DCN),

When information is found regarding an applicant, the system inquirer should continue using other pertinent screens to gather as much data as possible to assist in the decision-making process.

Review FACES screens regarding history with the Division. Start with Call/Case Prior History Search.

Review appropriate screens to verify prior history of licensure and/or contracting as a resource provider.

www.kspr.com
2012 Jan 31