Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

:grin:   Glad to see BethelTruth's site finally posting stories.  I have sent mine a long time ago.  Hope it gets put on there also.  I realize my post doesn't go into a lot of specifics other than what happened to my son.  But with court dates around the corner I don't want the Fountains knowing what kind of proof nor witnesses we have.  GOD has lead me on this long journey but HE gives me strength every day.  I only wish that the parents from years ago would have already accomplished this.  Yet these victims go home and within a few months give up the fight.  I have been working on this, finding victims, a SUPER lawfirm to take on a case of this magnitude and many, many hours spent on the phone doing my own investigative work.  I knew the evidence was out, it was just a matter of finding it.  The Fountains and a few other corrupt officials down in Miss. have finally hung themselves.

And by the way - There is a rumor a float - and I do *stress* it is a *rumor*
Bob Litchfield has bought Bethel boys and girls homes>>>

It would have to be rumor.  Herman Fountain owns those properties outright.  Had the slaves (I mean children) build everything on them.  Charges $25,000 per year for each victim placed there.  Starves those kids so he isn't out big money on feeding those victims.  Pays the employees pennies in which he pays no taxes on.  Cash under the table for all the employees.  Why would he get rid of that cash cow and start all over?  It's obvious the state is willing to let him get away with murder.  His huge home sits directly across the street from the bethel boys compound.  Nope, he isn't going anywhere.

State seeking accord with girls school


Bethel Academy problems called correctable

By Lora Hines
[email protected]

State officials are negotiating with a church-based home for at-risk girls to allow the return of 38 teens removed after some alleged they were abused.

Earl Scales, an assistant state attorney general, said problems at Bethel Girls Academy near Petal can be corrected, and an agreement to allow the girls back could be reached as early as next week.

"The school serves a purpose," Scales said.
Herman Fountain Jr., the director of the home, denies the allegations of abuse.

"That's all they are, allegations," he said. "They haven't proved anything."

Fountain, however, said he doubts he can come to an agreement with the state attorney general's office.

He said he doesn't want to stop using exercise as a form of punishment, a concession the state demands.

"We're not able to discipline the girls any other way," Fountain said. "We don't use corporal punishment. (State officials) wanted us not to use exercise. I didn't agree with that."

In May, the state Department of Human Services took custody of all girls at the academy as a result of abuse allegations. Some girls told investigators they were forced to swim in a sewage pond and exercise until they vomited.

DHS spokesman Rick Whitlow would not comment and referred calls to the state Health Department. The Health Department referred calls to the attorney general's office.

It is the second investigation at the academy in less than two years. The girls academy, founded by Fountain's father, opened in 1999.

Parent complaints of abuse and neglect at the companion Bethel Boys Academy in Lucedale last year led to a similar investigation by DHS and the attorney general's office. The boys academy, also founded by Fountain's father and directed by his brother, John Fountain, agreed to adopt new policies.

The Fountains didn't admit to any wrongdoing.

Herman Fountain said the girls removed from the academy want to return.

Michael Reed, a Hattiesburg attorney for parents of some of the girls, said his clients had to find other places to send their children.

"Obviously, the allegations are of a concern," Reed said. "That's why they are taking a wait-and-see approach (with the negotiations)."

The children of Reed's clients didn't complain to investigators, Reed said. He would not identify his clients.

Melissa Lashuay of Chicago is hopeful Fountain can correct the academy's problems. Her daughter, Brittany, 14, was one of the girls removed from the academy.

Lashuay's oldest daughter, Stephanie, previously attended the academy.

"It really turned my daughter around," Lashuay said of Stephanie. "There's been such an improvement in her."

Five girls now attend the academy, Fountain said. More are to come.

He said the academy has lost about $200,000 since the girls were removed. Tuition costs $2,000 a month per student.

Academy employees have been working part-time.

Fountain said he has had to borrow $1,400 to pay the academy electric bill and $1,700 for the mortgage.

"We've been in worse shape than this," he said. "This isn't going to stop me from helping people."

:eek:   Just found out from another victim at Bethel that the state of MS. has allowed two former victims to be returned to Bethel.  Isn't that nice.  One little girl is a Russian girl adopted.  Will spend her life living at Bethel.  She came there when she was only 11.  She also has an adopted brother from Russia who will spend his young years living at Bethel boys compound.  No matter how many times the state raids those child abuse compounds those children are stuck there.

Rumor has it that Bethel now has two former students.  Trying to find out now if it was two of the 38 removed or not.  Right after the raid, some of the parents were outraged that their daughters had been removed.  Not worried sick because their daughter had been removed due to allegations of abuse.  Those same parents immediately began pushing to have their daughter's retured.  Makes me ill.

At least we know that the Attorney General's office isn't willing to look the other way.  How many times does Bethel have to make the news for abusing children?  Why, if there is no corruption, does the State of Mississippi continue to look the other way???

Bethel hearing delayed

By Antoinette Konz


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A hearing before a Forrest County Youth Court judge on the removal of 38 girls from a Petal school for troubled teenagers has been postponed after an attorney for several parents said he had received new information in the case.

"Based on that information, we decided to ask for a continuance. I filed the motion this (Wednesday) morning," said Michael Reed, a Hattiesburg attorney representing three parents of students who attended Bethel. "I do not know at this point when the hearing will be continued."

The hearing, which stems from a multi-agency investigation of the Bethel Girls Academy which began May 19 was to have been before Judge Michael McPhail.

Reed would not comment on the nature of the information he received. He did say, however, that some parents of the girls have been notified about some of the allegations of abuse at the Bethel home, but he would not elaborate.

"I am unable to comment on the information at this time," he said. "I will be speaking with the parents later on today."

Reed had asked for the hearing last week on behalf of parents David Bakker of Chicago, Matthew Brown of Dallas and Jason and Lori Salo of Tacoma, Wash. The parents had said they wanted to ask the judge to reconsider removing the teenagers from the youth home.

Paul Walley, a Richton attorney representing Bethel Girls Academy and its director, Herman Fountain Jr., could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Walley and Fountain have denied any allegation of wrongdoing at the school.

Bakker, whose 12-year-old daughter was one of the girls removed from Bethel, said Wednesday that he had received some documents pertaining to the home's operation over the weekend. He did not elaborate.

"As far as the items I have received, I am not so sure about how credible or reliable they are. I still have a lot of questions," Bakker said. "I just don't know what to think right now."

Officials from the state Department of Human Services and the Attorney General's office were involved in the probe. Rick Whitlow, spokesperson with DHS, said Wednesday that his agency would not comment on the Bethel investigation.

The agency has refused to provide information on whether the facility was licensed, if it had been inspected and what the agency's policies and procedures are when it comes to monitoring facilities such as Bethel.

The Hattiesburg American filed a Public Records Act request on May 25 seeking the information. DHS has 14 business days from the filing date to respond.

Forrest County District Attorney Jon Mark Weathers said Tuesday that he has received two packets containing information about the investigation of the Bethel home. He would not elaborate on the contents.

"Based on what I have seen, it merits further investigation," he said. "But I have certainly not made the conclusion that there was any violation of criminal law that took place at Bethel.

"Right now, we just need to go a little further in the investigation and try to determine the facts and the motivation of those who have made these allegations," Weathers said.

A meeting with a representative from the state Attorney General's office and Weathers is scheduled to take place on Friday, he said