By Hal Spencer; The Associated Press, The Tacoma News Tribune 8/16/96
1 SOCIAL WORKER FIRED, OTHERS DISCIPLINED IN BOYS' RANCH FALLOUT
OLYMPIA - Three state social workers have been sanctioned for their handling of abuse complaints at the OK Boys' Ranch and a fourth has been fired for giving confidential police files to officials of the group home for troubled boys.

"These were the maximum sanctions that we could legally use," Gov. Mike Lowry told a Thursday news conference with Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Lyle Quasim. The actions were prompted by the findings of a year-long investigation by the Washington State Patrol, which was asked by Lowry to determine how well DSHS protected boys placed at the Olympia home.

The 15-bed facility, which operated under contract to the state, was shut down in September 1994 - seven years after a resident complained of abuse and two years after local police determined that younger boys there were raped and beaten by older boys. Residents also were physically abused by staff.

"In those days, we did not see kid-on-kid consensual sex as an abuse issue," said sanctioned former DSHS administrator Mark Redal, explaining to State Patrol investigators why he had not shut the facility down previously. An earlier criminal investigation resulted in felony charges against three top officials at the private, nonprofit group home. Attorney General Christine Gregoire said last year there was insufficient evidence for criminal charges against DSHS workers, though she urged new laws to allow them in future. Twenty-six former residents and their lawyers have won a total of about $8.5 million in damages from the state. An additional $5.2 million has been paid by insurers for the Kiwanis Club of Olympia, which ran the home, and by insurers for the home itself.

The actions announced Thursday, with material from the State Patrol report: * George Hartwell of Olympia, who had been part of the DSHS team investigating the ranch, was fired effective Aug. 28. The Patrol determined that in 1992, Hartwell gave top OK Boys' Ranch officials an Olympia Police Department report detailing findings of abuse at the ranch, thus tipping the officials to possible charges against them. Hartwell denied the allegations, the State Patrol report said. The 26-year Child Protective Services worker declined comment Thursday when reached at his home. Nancy Gassett, an Olympia police sergeant, said Hartwell had admitted giving the report to the ranch's director, Tom Van Woerden, one of those now facing felony charges, but he accused Gassett of being on a "witch hunt."

Redal, the former administrator who oversaw the offices monitoring the group home, was issued a letter of reprimand for failing to protect ranch residents.
* Kristy Galt, a DSHS area manager and Redal's second-in-command, was issued a "job performance corrective plan" and is "being closely monitored for compliance," Quasim said. Corinne Newman, Thurston County Juvenile Detention Center administrator, told investigators that Galt "should have been the first person sounding the alarm on the physical and sexual abuse at the OK Boys' Ranch."
* Steven Ennett, for a time charged with licensing and inspecting the group home, received a letter of reprimand and is under "close supervision," Quasim said. Ennett was described by colleagues as "very disorganized ... his files always lacked the proper documentation," the report said. Colleagues also said they believe he "backfilled" incomplete records when confronted by superiors. Ennett denied that and told investigators his work performance suffered after the death of a daughter. He "did say he was overwhelmed at times by the workload," the report said. Ennett could not be reached.

The criminal defendants, still awaiting trial in Thurston County Superior Court, are Van Woerden, founder of the group home and its director from 1971 to 1993; Collette Queener, who served both as assistant director and director; and Laura Rambo Russell, the ranch's longtime head counselor. All face charges of criminal mistreatment, a second-degree felony. They are accused of failing to protect boys at the ranch from abuse.

Below is an e-mail I received from a former Olympia, Washington resident.

From: ~~~~~~~~@aol.com
To: Louis Bloom manaco@whidbey.net
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:34 AM
Subject: OKBR
Just came across your pages and felt the urge to respond... In the early 80's (81-83) I was at the OKBR frequently as a young kid walking to/from school, I became friends with some of the boys. At one point a small boy confided to me that he was being raped by another boy in the home. The abusing boy talked about it openly!
Days later I walked the victim to OPD where we both gave statements. Later that evening I began to receive these incredibly threatening phone calls from a woman employee of the ranch who's name I believe was Paulette at my home. She kept calling over and over screaming at me calling me names. It was horrible. I thought I was helping someone. Nothing came of it. Then all these years later, it all comes out ... one of the boys that I had known there left as a young adult and still couldn't get it together, he eventually killed himself. As an adult now I don't often think back to those times but it still saddens me. All those boys that needed a safe nurturing place to be, and how many of them were better off for having been taken there? It's not about money. It cost these boys their lives, their souls, their trust. Those people who knew, who didn't care, they should feel such shame. Just my opinion.

From: louis a bloom manaco@whidbey.net
To: ~~~~~~~@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: OKBR
thanks for your e-mail. from what i've read, dshs, the olympia police department, and other "authorities" didn't consider child on child rape to be against the law. it was considered "normal experimentation". The "paulette" you mention, may have been Collette Queener who was an assistant director at the OKBR. Collette, OKBR Director Tom Van Woerdan, and OKBR counselor Laura Rambo Russell were ineptly charged by Wa. St. with "criminal mistreatment for failing to stop abuse". The charges were dismissed by Thurston County Judge Daniel Berschauer on technicalities. The lawyer who represented Collette Queener said, (Nov. 14, 1996 Olympian), that it was a "witch hunt", and that " a more innocent person (than Queener) you could not have for a client. She's an ex-nun ..... I don't see how you could view her in an evil or negative light."
I congratulate you for doing the right thing, when all those adults looked the other way. I repeat on most pages that the " OKBR has cost the Washington State taxpayers over $35 million dollars (so far)", because I think most people don't care about the kids involved, but they may care that it has cost them (taxpayers) money.
louis bloom

manaco@whidbey.net