Girl X rape scandal: Teen victim was pushed to the very edge by her alleged abuser

POLICE were alerted to the abuse of a “high needs” girl who was raped at a foster care facility­ only because she ­attempted suicide, an insider has revealed.

Girl X’s family claim they were never informed about the rapes.

• GIRL DIED BEFORE TRIAL OF ALLEGED ATTACKER
• SEX ABUSE WARNINGS MADE BEFORE GIRL X’S DEATH
• CLAIMS OF COVER-UP AS RAPE ALLEGATIONS DROPPED
• ALMOST 1-IN-10 KIDS IN RESIDENTIAL CARE ABUSED

POLICE were alerted to the sexual abuse of a “high needs” girl who was repeatedly raped at a foster care facility­ only because she ­attempted suicide, an insider has revealed.

A witness said Girl X barricaded herself in her room, after being raped by the sleepover supervisor in 2012, and cut her wrists. The rape was discovered when Girl X was taken to hospital.

The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday that the rape charge against her attacker, now 30, was dropped after the girl died from a drug overdose in state care two years later.

It can today be revealed that the 14-year-old told friends she was feeling under pressure leading up to the rape trial. She died just two weeks before the court case was to start.

Her attacker calmly maintained to friends that he had done nothing wrong after the charges were withdrawn in the District Court.

The refuge centre where the alleged rapes of Girl X are believed to have taken place.

The DPP stated that “some inconsistencies” in the teen’s statement could not be cross-examined ­because she was dead and, despite DNA evidence that the odds of the man being innocent were “100 billion to one”, chose to dismiss the case.

According to court documents­, however, the investigator felt Girl X’s decision­ to recant the rape allegation “was caused by the encouragement of the (attacker) to tell the police that she had ‘made up’ the allegation”.

The Daily Telegraph can also reveal the attacker had sex with another underage girl at the care facility.

One of the former care workers accused of Girl X’s abuse.

And while centre bosses immediately sacked all nine staff following the incident, it did not change its processes — still leaving just one sleepover supervisor alone each night with up to six youths in their care.

The foster care facility operator was rewarded with an automatic extension of its multimillion-­dollar contract earlier this year. The operator has a four-year contract to provide shelter for our most vulnerable children worth about $15 million. The Baird government automatically extended its contract until June 2017.

A Department of Family and Community Services spokesman said contracts were extended until 2017 “to give the department­ the chance to look at ways to improve support for children in consultation­ with its service partners”.

Family Services Minister Brad Hazzard has ordered­ the DPP to review evidence on the case.

Minister for Family and Community Service Brad Hazzard / Picture: Cameron Richardson

HISTORY OF FAILURE BY CHARITY AT ITS HOMES

Clarissa Bye

THE charity that operated the home where Girl X was raped has admitted to 30 cases of sexual assault allegations over the past decade.

The charity, which cannot be named for legal reasons, has refused to publicly explain why it covered up Girl X’s attack nor explain what measures it has since taken to ensure the safety of vulnerable children.

Its chief executive has refused to take phone calls, and board members refused to speak about the issue.

The charity, which has responsibility for managing many children in foster care across NSW, as well as at-risk children in group homes, was quizzed at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse about how it dealt with abuse.

Of the incidents reported, six cases were sustained, including five as a result of children causing the assaults and one by a staff member.

Royal commission counsel Gail Furness asked the head of the charity, which has escaped scrutiny following suppression orders, what measures had been undertaken to prevent further abuse: “Have you made any changes to your policies, practices or procedures arising from any of those five?”

The charity boss: “Not as a result of the five but of a continual improvement. As I tried to alert earlier, we have somebody who is constantly looking at what is required but also looking at how we can constantly improve the way that we deliver these important caring services for children and young people.”

In a speech last week Royal Commissioner Justice Peter McClellan highlighted the industry-wide problem of children being abused in foster care, revealing an analysis found 43 per cent of victims in private sessions reported sexual abuse in out-of-
home care.

“There has been an 82 per cent increase nationally in the number of children in care over the past decade,” Mr McClellan said. “We have heard concerns that the current out-of-home care system does not adequately protect children.’

The refuge centre where the alleged rapes of Girl X are believed to have taken place.

BETRAYAL: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

* Scandal broke in 2012

* A 26-year-old youth worker had “several sexual encounters” with “vulnerable” Girl X, 14, over five-month period at the refuge

* He also had “explicit” photos of another girl at the centre under his care

* Another youth worker at the refuge also had sex with the girl several times during “sleepover shifts”

* Classified as “high needs”, Girl X was so enamoured with worker BJQ, 26, she could “recite” his mobile number

* BJQ was charged with aggravated sexual intercourse with a girl aged 14 after she was brought to Sydney Children’s Hospital following a sexual encounter

* Girl X has since died

* DPP dropped the case against BJQ despite overwhelming DNA evidence due to “inconsistencies in relation to statements made by her prior to her passing”

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