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By BONNIE ADAMS bonniea@leader.net
Thursday, January 27, 2000 Page: 2A
FALLS TWP. – A staff member at St. Michael’s School, accused of grabbing a
child by the throat and shoving him, will be charged with assault, the
district attorney said Wednesday.
Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick Jr. said the incident
happened Sunday evening in the boy’s bedroom at the school on state Route 92
near Tunkhannock.
Gullen Hunter will be charged with simple assault, harassment and
endangering the welfare of a child, Skumanick said.
The 14-year-old student was examined at Tyler Memorial Hospital. Marks were
found on his throat and back from when Hunter shoved him into a dresser,
Skumanick said.
The district attorney said he could not comment on what caused the
altercation. He said Hunter was not injured.
Skumanick said Falls Township police plan to file charges with District
Justice Carl Smith in Tunkhannock, and a preliminary hearing will be
scheduled.
The boy called his parents after the 7 p.m. incident. They contacted the
school and 911. Skumanick said St. Michael’s also notified 911.
The Diocese of Scranton operates the school for troubled youth. The school
accepts referrals for placement from juvenile courts and county Children and
Youth agencies within the state.
Diocese spokeswoman Maria Orzel confirmed Wednesday that a student made
allegations against a staff member. She would not provide details but said the
school reported the allegations to police and the state Department of Public
Welfare.
Orzel said the student remains at the school for troubled youth. She would
not confirm whether the staff member is still on the job.
“We are not aware that any charges have been filed against anyone,” she
said.
The school investigated the allegations and “followed appropriate
procedure,” Orzel said. “It was handled immediately.”
A delay in reporting a crime in March 1998 caused problems for St.
Michael’s. The school was investigated after officials waited four days to
report the sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy by four other male students.
DPW had temporarily downgraded the school’s license to a provisional status as
part of a plan to correct violations. DPW spokesman Jay Pagni said the school
immediately notified the agency after Sunday’s incident as required and made
the proper notification to law enforcement. Pagni said he did not know what
action the school might have taken against Hunter.
Call Adams at 829-7221.