Massachusetts town fears church worker may have molested hundreds of children

Reardon, a youth worker and camp counselor, has been charged with sexually molesting 3 boys

June 22, 2000
Web posted at: 1:01 a.m. EDT (0501 GMT)

In this story: List of up to 250 boys found, officials say Parents seek answers at Town Hall meeting RELATED STORIES, SITES

From Bill Delaney CNN Boston Bureau Chief

MIDDLETON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Parents in Middleton, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, are shell shocked after prosecutors revealed that a church worker, already accused of sexually molesting three boys, may have harmed hundreds of other children.

"You trust your children in the hands of others," said one mother. "You yourself wouldn't harm a child, yet you never know what can happen to your own."

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Boston Bureau Chief Bill Delaney reports on a Middleton, Massachusetts, child molestation case in which officials fear the victims may number in the hundreds. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

The accused man -- Christopher Reardon, 28 -- served as a Catholic youth worker, summer camp counselor and Boy Scout volunteer in the town.

The charges against Reardon involving the first three boys include rape and assault.

But investigators said they found a computer list in Reardon's bedroom that contained the names of as many as 250 boys between the ages of 5 and 14 and graphic descriptions of their bodies.

At Reardon's arraignment, Essex County Prosecutor Jean Curran told the court that a tape found at Reardon's house showed "the defendant, along with another young boy, approximately 11 years of age, in acts of mutual masturbation."

Parents gathered at a Middleton meeting to ask investigators questions about Reardon's case

And a hidden camera was found in the church rectory where Reardon was a youth coordinator.

At a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, parents pleaded for advice on how to cope.

"I just want to know how to teach your children to trust all over again," one mother said.

"How are we going to help our children through this?" another parent asked.

"I would urge you to say to your child: 'There is nothing that you could do that would ever make you less loved in my heart,'" Stephanie Meegan, of Child Safe, told the parents.

Adding to the anguish in Middleton is that prosecutors maintain the law prohibits them from releasing the children's names found in the suspect's bedroom.

That has left parents trying to determine whether their children were victimized. Experts in childhood trauma said parents should watch their children for signs of difficulty sleeping, nightmares or eating disorders.

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