CONWAY, N.H. (AP) – The directors of a church-run day care center are trying to determine how a worker accused of molesting three young girls there had enough time alone with them to commit the alleged crimes.
Jeffrey Edmunds, 40, of Bridgton, Maine, worked at the Joyful Hearts Children Center between April 2003 and April 2004. He faces six felony charges, three for fondling young girls and three for having child pornography.
“The staff works together pretty much throughout the day. It’s pretty rare that anyone would be alone,” said Sandford Kravette, pastor of Christian Fellowship of New England.
“We’re still a little uncertain when Jeff would have had opportunity to be alone with the children to do what’s alleged.”
Edmunds came to the attention of New Hampshire authorities after Bridgton police arrested him in January on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and invasion of privacy.
But officials ruled that there was not enough evidence to sustain the felony exploitation charge, and instead arraigned him on misdemeanor charges of possession of sexually explicit material.
While investigators analyze some 250 videotapes and computer evidence seized from Edmunds’ home, church officials are left wondering what they could have done differently.
“Parents are constantly dropping children off. All of our classrooms have large picture windows,” Kravette said.
Edmunds had been a member of the church since 1992 and passed screenings and background checks before he was hired, Kravette said. He also held an associate teacher certification, giving him state approval to be alone with children.
“We’d known Jeff for 12 years, so we thought we had that kind of trust,” he said. “Jeff is someone who was not on anyone’s scope. Unfortunately, none of the background checks work until after the first offense.”
In New Hampshire, associate teacher certification requires six credits in early childhood education.
The state Bureau of Child Care Licensing’s most recent unannounced inspection at the center was in December 2003.
Wendy Kessler, bureau chief for the agency, said a review of staff qualifications found no critical rule violations, though some workers lacked adequate documentation.
AP-ES-03-02-05 0910EST
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