Orphanage investigation finds no crimes, but abuse occurred

The investigation by Donovan’s office, the Burlington police, state police and others was launched after a 2018 report in Buzzfeed News that included allegations of a boy children suffered,” Donovan cials cooperated with the being thrown from a window said during an online news task force and provided to his death, a girl forced to MONTPELIER, Vt. — conference. “As I said, that access to records and staff slap herself 50 times and Vermont’s top law enforcewhen we have been preventmembers. children being locked in an ment officer said Monday a ed from conducting an inIt said the state’s investigaattic. There were also allegatwo-year investigation into vestigation as a result of the tion was “substantially contions of sexual abuse. There allegations of murder at a statute of limitations, the sistent“with previous inis no statute of limitations for long-closed Burlington orharm incurred by many of vestigations into the orphanmurder. phanage found no evidence the residents still resonates age and noted there was no After the news conference, of such crimes and the crimitoday.” evidence of murders. But the Christine Kenneally, the nal investigation is over. He said that if additional diocese also said there was a author of the Buzzfeed arti

In releasing the report, information is found the complete failure of the syscle, said in an email she Attorney General T.J. Donocriminal investigation could tem to protect the children would have a statement, but van said Monday it is clear resume. and “the Diocese continues did not immediately provide one.thatchildrensufferedwhileWhenitopenedinthetoacceptitsfullshareofthe staying at St. Joseph’s Ormid-1850s the orphanage blame.” Many of the stories in the phanage, which closed in was operated by Canadian “We apologize for all hurt Buzzfeed article were report1974, and the Vermont law religious order and then until caused and for the personal ed by the Burlington Free enforcement community its closure by Vermont Cathshortcomings of human Press in the 1990s. At one failed to protect those chilolic Charities, a part of the beings that came before us,” point, the Roman Catholic dren. Roman Catholic Diocese of the diocese said. “There is Diocese of Burlington pro

“It is clear clear that abuse Burlington. much that is troubling and vided $5,000 payments to an did occur at St. Joseph’s OrIn a Monday statement, horrible to read in the reestimated 60 former resiphanage and that many the diocese said church offi- port.” dents to settle civil lawsuits.