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A record of abuses in Wenatchee
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For recent developments, see the Aftermath section.
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The town of Wenatchee, Wash., made world headlines in 1994 and 1995 when police and state social workers undertook what was then called the nation's most extensive child sex-abuse investigation.
By the time it was done, at least 60 adults were arrested on 29,726 charges of child-sex abuse involving 43 children. Many of the accused were poor or developmentally disabled. Many cases were settled on the strength of confessions taken down by Wenatchee police Detective Bob Perez.
In February 1998, the Post-Intelligencer published a series of articles that documented overzealous -- and even abusive -- actions by Perez and social service caseworkers, civil rights violations by judges and prosecutors as well as sloppy work by public defenders.
Since then, many of the convicted have been freed by higher courts, largely through the work of The Innocence Project, a group of volunteer lawyers.
Part One (Monday, February 23, 1998)
- Children sacrificed for the case
Allegations set up a puzzle of doubtful ethics, dubious facts
Full story
- Detective a man who charmed, harmed
Trouble follows on and off the job
Full story
Part Two (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)
- Children hurt by the system
Society's protectors bent, broke and ignored rules
Full story
- Children shuttled to Idaho facility
Many of them admitted with vague diagnoses
Full story
Part Three (Wednesday, February 25,1998)
- With every step, rights were trampled
Full story
- The Accused
43 people were charged with more than 27,000 counts of child rape
Full story
- 'Lies, lies and more lies,' says jailed man
Migrant farm worker an easy target
Full story
Part Four (Thursday, February 26,1998)
- 'They robbed me of my childhood'
Full story
- 'Non-believers' risked everything for justice
A few united to help the accused
Full story
- Social worker cries foul, pays dearly
Unwillingness to compromise costs her a job
Full story
Part Five (Friday, February 27,1998)
- Lives ruined because lessons ignored
Full story
- Justice's watchdogs looked the other way
Report finally changes tone of stories
Full story
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