Investigation examines allegations of sex abuse at Boys Town, questions about its fundraising
Lee Rood’s investigation into Boys Town began, as so much good journalism does, with a reporter’s curiosity.
Rood, the Des Moines Register’s Reader’s Watchdog, grew up in Omaha in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood where friends and neighbors worked at Boys Town. Her dad, Mick Rood, shared a Pulitzer Prize for local investigative reporting at the Omaha Sun newspapers in 1973 for a special report on Boys Town’s fundraising.
That special report led with a quote from Luke 16:2: "Give an account of thy stewardship." With the 50th anniversary of that special report approaching, Rood was thinking about writing a freelance piece about the decline of investigative reporters at local newspapers as their staffs have shrunk. She casually began looking at Boys Town’s fundraising today and catching up on news stories about the renowned Omaha nonprofit, idealized since a 1938 Spencer Tracy/Mickey Rooney movie as a place where wayward youths could find a caring home and a better path in life.
What she read raised questions. With further research, she found that Boys Town has spent more than other high-asset charities in the United States to raise money. And while it focuses many of its fundraising appeals on helping the children living at its historic campus in Omaha, the majority of its spending goes to a research hospital and other programs.
Also concerning: She found several reports of sexual abuse at the Boys Town campus. Eventually, she learned 12 rape offenses were reported by Boys Town police to state and federal agencies, but police would not release any details about them.
In over 30 years as a journalist, Rood has reported extensively on child welfare and child abuse and other issues at youth residential facilities in Iowa. High-profile revelations of abuse at boarding schools, tough-love camps and other residential facilities across the country in the past decade have prompted closures and fed a national debate over whether congregate care is the best approach for helping troubled, vulnerable kids.
One of the guiding principles for reporters is to avoid preconceived notions as they begin reporting a story; instead they follow the facts wherever they lead.
As Rood pursued her reporting where it led her, I was disappointed that Boys Town CEO Rod Kempkes repeatedly declined the Des Moines Register's requests for interviews. Eventually, Boys Town made available Barb Vollmer, its executive vice president of youth care, to address some of Rood’s questions. Vollmer insisted that Boys Town is not backing away from youth care, but has expanded and focused more of its efforts on nonresidential, preventive programming.
Boys Town missed an opportunity to provide more insight into how it is evolving its mission and its fundraising appeals to millions of Americans. It also failed to answer questions about the secrecy surrounding the allegations of rape and sexual assault on its campus, and whether oversight authorities were being notified as required under state and federal law.
While a growing body of research has exposed failings in congregate care for vulnerable youth, parents and providers say some kids still need residential care, at least temporarily.
The goal of how best to nurture troubled kids and help them get back on track deserves more attention from caring adults in Iowa, Nebraska and across the nation. To learn more about this critical issue, I commend Rood’s reporting to your attention.
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Zach Boyden-Holmes promoted to photo editor
I'm pleased to announce that 11-year Register photographer-videographer Zach Boyden-Holmes has been promoted to photo editor.
Boyden-Holmes, a University of Iowa journalism graduate, worked as a photographer at the St. Petersburg Times and Augusta Chronicle before joining the Register in 2012 as photo editor of Juice Magazine, focused on young professionals in the metro.
He's done it all as a visual journalist at the Register, shooting still photos and video for breaking news stories, sports and features and excelling in portraiture.
In 2021, he and Iowa Columnist Courtney Crowder collaborated on "Inside COVID's Siege," a seven-part series that followed doctors, nurses, patients and families inside Ames' Mary Greeley Medical Center during a COVID-19 surge. The series won a first place National Headliner Award and was honored as a finalist for the 2022 Dart Awards for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma, associated with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Among other notable work: He covered protests in Minneapolis after George Floyd's death, on assignment for the Register and USA TODAY. He has covered RAGBRAI for several years, biking the entire route with his camera and laptop, and covered the University of Iowa women's basketball team this spring in the Final Four in Dallas.
He replaces Kelsey Kremer, who joined the staff of Iowa PBS.
Carol Hunter is the Register’s executive editor. She wants to hear your questions, story ideas or concerns at 515-284-8545, chunter@registermedia.com, or on Twitter: @carolhunter.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How a reporter's curiosity led to an investigation into Boys Town
