Robert Yates Accused of Raping 3 Girls

Article taken from The Mansfield News Journal, May 22, 1954

A 34-year-old former supervisor of boys at the Hillcrest county children's home in Wheelersburg faced charges today for the statutory rape of three girls at the home.

Robert Yates of Portsmouth was indicted by the Scioto county grand jury late friday after a sweeping investigation of the home.

The jury commended the child welfare board for the general operation of the home but called for more careful supervision, better equipment, and further investigation to determine whether several other employees should be fired.

Yates was indicted on three charges of carnal knowledge of 14 and 15 year old girl inmates. The jurors also recommended that the county prosecutor file charges of contributing to delinquency of certain children against a former superintendent of the home , Mrs. Florence Dawson Rousch, 40.

The jury recommended that the board prohibit employment at any time of Yates, Mrs. Rouch, yates' wife Charlene, and several others listed as Everett Cunningham, W. E. Dushmin, Della Boggs, and Adams Workman.

The jury also asked the board to conduct its own investigation and if it finds that present conditions have been going on for some time, certain employees should be fired.

The jury added that any member of the board who feels he does not have enough time for the job, should resign.

County commissioners ere criticized for ignoring the home and charged that some commissioners have not visited it in five years. The commissioners were advised to make at least monthly inspections.