12/15/92 Detective Noble OKBR Report

The Olympia Washington Kiwanis members and their friends have cost the Washington State taxpayers over $50 million dollars (so far), because of their willful ignorance of long term, merciless and well known, child abuse that occurred at the Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch.

October 2006 note: This Olympia Kiwanis stuff is old news. I've left this information on the web, because I like the thought that someone will say to one of these Kiwanis friends or members: "Grandma, (Grandpa), are you still friends with those Olympia Kiwanians?"

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  INVESTIGATOR'S REPORT
    Reporting Investigator: Detective Darrell Noble
    Case 92-5968
    Date of Report: December 15, 1992
Offense: Failing to Report  as Required RCW 26-44-030
Date of Offense: July 1991 to July 1, 1992
Location of Offense: 2010 Puget St NE, Olympia, Washington
    Suspect:
    I. VanWoerden, Thomas R
    2. Queener, Collette S
    3. Rambo, Laura F 
    CRIMINAL HISTORY: NCIC III checks were run on three subjects with no record found.
    SYNOPSIS
     In reviewing the reports of this case, the statements from the victims, as well as statements from the staff and statements from the suspects themselves,  I believe, there is enough in the record to show that the three principals at the OK Boys Ranch were aware of sexual incidents between the boys that were a criminal violation. RCW 26.44.030; requires that a report be made to Child Protective Services or Law  Enforcement at first opportunity but, in any case, no longer than 48 hours after there is reasonable cause to believe that a child or  an adult has suffered abuse.
    Written records made by the staff show many times that sexual conduct was observed and was known about, yet no report was made to CPS or the police department. These records were reviewed daily  by Collette Queener and Laura Rambo and on a on/off basis by Tom VanWoerden. Statements from the staff indicated that a topic of discussion, starting in the fall of 1991, was sexual contact among the kids.
    Written logs for various victims indicate this activity was occur.ing back as far as July 1991. Statements from staff and various logs indicate awareness of what was occurring between the boys and is even included in their quarterly reports. Yet, Rambo, Queener, and VanWoerden deny any knowledge of any inappriopriate sexual activity occurring until June of  92.
    VanWorden, Queener, and Rambo all admit they have the responsibly for The Boys Ranch and reporting.  It is a written policy that no one else on the staff will call the police or CPS without going through the three principals first.
    Rambo states that she examines the log daily or at least every other day and makes computer entries. She brings anything of out of the ordinary nature to VanWoerden's attention. She also gives the logs to Queener, who also reviews them daily, if not on a weekly basis, and she also brings out of the ordinary events to VanWoerden's attention.
    VanWoorden denies that he was told anything and knew nothing of any sexual misconduct until June of 92. Staff statements indicate that he was at the meetings where this was discussed and was a integral part of the discussions involving these activities.
    Queener was the ultimate responsibility  for training of staff. Rambo also assist in the training of staff. Staff indicated they received no training what so ever in how to deal with sexual conduct or sexual acting out by the kids.
    Several of the staff have indicated in their statements that VanWoerden advised them not to discuss any incidents, such as these, outside The Ranch because he was concerned with giving The Ranch a bad name. It appears this was a situation that was totally out of control and the three principals, for whatever reason. did not want it to be  public knowledge and, therefore, did not report as required by the law.
    This case will now be reviewed the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to determine if charges wilI be filed.

Here's Reiko (Cushman) Callners memorandum, that she sent to the Thurston County Prosecutors Office on September 23, 1992 requesting that charges be brought against some OKBR people. The prosecutors, Tabor and Sutherland declined to prosecute.

Until Oct 1999, I believed that the Kiwanians and their friends were guilty of careless neglect or callous indifference. After hearing frightening audio depositions from some of the abused kids, I now believe that these people were involved with an "active collaboration with evil". The OKBR staff was apparently actively involved in long-term molestation and sadistic abuse of these kids. The Kiwanians and their friends could/should have stopped the abuse.

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OKBR people statements to the Wa. St. Patrol(informative, professional, evasive, amusing)
Here's a long summary of the Wa.St.Patrol O.K.B.R report
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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

There were many obvious and long-term warnings about the 1970-94 child abusing Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch.

  • DSHS knew since at least 1977.
  • The OKBR staff certainly knew.
  • The abused kids told staff, schools, counselors, police, caseworkers, therapists, ect.., about their abuse at the OKBR, but nobody investigated.
  • Olympia Police Chief Wurner came to an Olympia Kiwanis meeting in 1986 and told the Kiwanis about the troubles at the OKBR. Chief Wurner was ignored. Maybe he should have done more, but he probably wanted to keep his job.
  • It was well know by the Thurston County courts. These kids were constantly in and out of the Thurston County legal system.
  • The OKBR was written about in the Kiwanis Komments newsletters, and the Kiwanis Board Ranch minutes.
  • All the OKBR Board Members had a legal oversight of the OKBR.
  • Were all Olympia Kiwanis Attorneys & Judges and/or Politicians uninformed?
  • It's amazing how blissfully ignorant some people were about the OKBR. You can read about their guiltlessness in some of their Washington State Patrol and Office of Special Investigation statements.
  • Here's Wa St Patrol Olympia Kiwanis member lists of 1987, 1990, 1994
  • Here is a 49 page index of 5,223 pages of documents that the WSP collected about the OKBR. Anybody can order any of those public documents by following the instructions on that page.
  • The OKBR sent kids for weekend visits to child abusers who donated land to the Kiwanis. The Kiwanians sold the land in 1993 for $125,000.
  • Can the Olympian Newspaper claim ignorance?
    manaco@whidbey.net