Culture of Sexual Misconduct Alleged at Green Hill School

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    Allegations were cast about more employee misconduct at Green Hill School during Deanna Witters’ court hearing Wednesday morning.

    Witters, the 52-year-old former cook at the juvenile facility, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree custodial sexual misconduct after she admitted to a relationship with one of the facility’s inmates while she worked there. One of her original charges, first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor, was dropped because the state couldn’t prove the boy was a minor when the sexual acts occurred.

    She was sentenced to 30 days in jail with the possibility of work release for those charges.

    Witters’ attorney, Paul Dugaw, told the court that Witters had given information to investigators regarding sexual misconduct between inmates and at least five other employees. Dugaw said Green Hill administrators forced those employees to resign following the allegations. He said those employees haven’t been charged with any crime even though they may have engaged in sexual acts with minors.

    Green Hill Superintendent Marybeth Queral denied Witters’ claims, saying no more employees were asked to leave amidst sexual misconduct allegations.

    “Nobody was forced to resign,” Queral said. “I would never ask for someone to resign.”

    Lewis County Prosecutor Michael Golden said he hadn’t heard of any new charges involving the employees, but said he knew Witters would be “disclosing everything she knows” about additional misconduct to investigators. If that investigation warrants any charges against the employees, Golden said, his office would pursue them.

    Golden said Witters made a blanket statement regarding employees at Green Hill during her testimony to investigators: “It’s the culture out there, it happens all the time.”

    The new allegations come with a slew of accusations already filed against Green Hill employees, including the charges Witters pleaded guilty to.

    She spoke through tears in court Wednesday, saying she regrets her actions and is currently nursing a damaged family and life at home.

    “I’m sorry that I made a horrible mistake,” Witters said. “I’m just sorry if I hurt anyone.”

    She was fired in late March after an internal investigation at Green Hill, and is currently taking part in a psychosexual evaluation.

    In a separate matter, Queral confirmed this morning that an employee was fired last Friday for a “violation of policy,” though she said no criminal charges are being forwarded to the prosecutor. She said she couldn’t comment further because there is a grievance involved.

    Queral said Wednesday that when a facility has 250 employees, bad things are bound to happen.

    “You’re working with humans, we have personal and professional lives,” she said. “Unfortunate things come up but we respond accordingly.”

    In a separate case, Green Hill School employee Everett Fairchild, 48, was accused of sexually assaulting and exposing himself to a co-worker in incidents dating back to 2007. He’s suspected of showing his genitalia to the 33-year-old woman, handing her pictures of him in sexual situations and fondling her in a classroom at Green Hill, according to court documents.

    He’s scheduled to be tried Aug. 3 on suspicion of indecent exposure and fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation.

    A Green Hill security guard, Roy Clark, 26, appeared in court last week on suspicion of marijuana possession and distribution after officers served a warrant at his home Friday.

    The superintendent said it’s a coincidence that multiple employees would be in court at the same time. When someone is let go after an internal investigation or court case, Queral said, the Green Hill administration is doing its job.

    “If I wasn’t responding, I would think that would make the news,” she said this morning. “I still think Green Hill does a good job.”

    The Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration serves as the operating arm for all juvenile facilities under the Department of Social and Health Services.

    Andy Campbell: (360) 807-8208