A man is in jail after police say he sexually assaulted his own foster children.
Leroy Mitchell, 60, and his family have housed over 50 foster kids over the last few decades, according to investigators. During the summer of 2012, Mitchell allegedly molested one of his foster children, a 9-year-old girl, while they were swimming in Brandywine Creek in West Bradford Township. The victim told police Mitchell sexually assaulted her twice. Mitchell also allegedly attempted to get into bed with her while naked while she was sleeping in his home in West Bradford Township.
The girl, who is now 10-years-old, came forward to police on May 21. Mitchell was arrested last Friday and allegedly confessed to sexually assaulting her. After interviewing Mitchell and continuing their investigation, police accused him of also sexually assaulting another foster child, between the ages of 7 and 9, several times at his home last summer.
Mitchell worked at Chester County Prison but was fired after his arrest. He is charged with several counts of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and other related offenses. He was remanded to the Montgomery County Prison on $500,000 cash bail.
"Finding out that news is really shocking," said Mitchell's neighbor Robert Mendenhall. "Lee and Janet have been great neighbors."
Sources close to the investigation told NBC10's Rosemary Connors that authorities stopped sending foster children to the Mitchell's but it's unclear why and when. While Mitchell is in custody, officials say the investigation is far from over.
“With dozens of foster children, there are multiple other potential victims out there,” said Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan. “We are urging anybody with information to report it immediately.”
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Anyone with information should call Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Brodeur at 610-486-6280 or Chester County Detective James Ciliberto at 610-344-6866.
