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The famed army installation at Fort Meade is at the center of a child sex abuse scandal involving one of the base’s youth programs, reports WJLA.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Feds Are Handling the Investigation
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Police in Maryland were the first to react to the allegations. The investigation has been handed off to the FBI as the base is considered a federal facility.
2. The Offender is Not a Military Officer, Reports
The suspect has not been named, but has been referred to as a “former civilian employee,” according to base spokesperson, Mary Doyle. The Baltimore Sun reports that the man left his job at Fort Meade in 2012, the abuse is alleged to have occurred while he worked there.
3. The Army Secretary is Involved
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A full review of youth programs has been ordered by the Secretary of the Army, John McHugh.
4. The Level of Abuse is Unkown
In a statement to The Baltimore Sun, spokesperson Mary Doyle said that she was not at liberty to say if the abuse involved multiple people or multiple events. The Sun says:
The base officials wanted to alert families of the allegations so they could so they could speak with their children.
5. Fort Meade’s Youth Programs Are Famed
Forte Meade offers children of both military and civilians employees of the Department of Defense a number of programs including school help, fitness and nutrition, and teen programming. The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Youth Center employees 20 staff members who must undergo training on the topic of abuse.
There is a 24-hour-hotline for parents who have questions relating to the base’s youth outreach programs. Concerned parents can call 866-454-9414.