1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Campell an Awake is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: The views and opinions expressing this podcast are solely those 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: of the author and participants and do not necessarily represent 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: those of I Heeart Media or its employees. Due to 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: discussion of traumatic, sexual and violent content, listeners discussion is advised. 6 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,479 Speaker 1: Staff at Camp and Awake would not talk about the 7 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: g b I investigation into possible financial irregularities and alleged 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: sexual misconduct between youngsters and camp counselors. The more than 9 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: twelve acre camp is home to around one hundred children. 10 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: Neighbors living here Camp an Awake say they are concerned 11 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: about a lack of supervision at the camp. Two years ago, 12 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: a thirteen year old boy left the facility allegedly stole 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: a gun and while attempting to steal a car, shot 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: and kill the homeowner. By six, word had started to 15 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,959 Speaker 1: get around that some inappropriate actions were being taken by 16 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: the staff at an Awake. Following Sarah Tillis's realization that 17 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: there may have been sexual abuse taking place on the 18 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: annual Mexican co trips, a report was made to Social Services. 19 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: In June, social worker Pat Griffin laid out her concerns 20 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: and a correspondence to Brett Baxley and Jim Wamack, two 21 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: heads of management at Anawaki. The concerns include secret packs, 22 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: that nothing would be repeated which happened on the Mexico trip, 23 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: that adolescents were encouraged to go into quote whorehouses, and 24 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: that homosexual acts had occurred between a staff member and 25 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: an adolescent. An internal investigation of Annawaki would follow, conducted 26 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: by Director of Therapeutic Services Jim Womack, himself a known 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: abuser in the organization. In a letter to the then 28 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: head administrator, James Henry Evans, Walmack reports quote the supervisors 29 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: denied any knowledge of staff encouraging the students to engage 30 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: in any of the activities mentioned. There is no corroborating 31 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: evidence from any of the interviews of the people who 32 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: were directly involved with the Mexico trip. Continued discussion of 33 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: the memo appears without credible value and constructive purpose. Not 34 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: only was the board of directors becoming suspicious of Petter 35 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: and other counselor's actions with the patients, it's financial records 36 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: were narrow under scrutiny as well. Here's journalist Albert Edgin 37 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: there are these money issues that they're concerned about, and 38 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: they've been rubber stamping pretty much. The board has been 39 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: rubber stamping everything. He suggested. Now they've lost trust, so 40 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: how do you deal with that? And we're beginning to think, well, 41 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: with Pedigo dead, Pedigo was a guy that Petter was 42 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: able to control. Let's just stop and see how much 43 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 1: he was controlled. That was the important thing in their 44 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: minds that they were at a at a juncture in 45 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: an administrative time for Antawaiki where they could get control 46 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: of things that they were frust traded that they didn't 47 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: have control of before. So they began to look at things, 48 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: but they wanted to look at things. At the same time, 49 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: there was talk of sale of Anna Wake. There was 50 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:14,119 Speaker 1: some rumors about sale and conversation about sale, and conversation 51 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: had begun about maybe Petter and his wife should retire 52 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 1: or resign. Further in fighting between the upper management of 53 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: an Awake was also going on at this time. This 54 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: came to a head following the funeral of Chief financial 55 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:34,119 Speaker 1: Officer Bud Pedigo, a meeting between Sarah Tillis and two 56 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: other heads of an Awaki, James Henry Evans and Bud's 57 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: wife and Petter's daughter, Marcia Pedigo, showed some very troubling 58 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: information regarding Bud's death and what occurred shortly before it. 59 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: Just before his fatal car accident, Petter had directed Bud 60 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: Pedigo to take out a key man insurance policy. This 61 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: is like a life insurance policy, except that it pays 62 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: out the company the person worked for before their death. 63 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: This policy had earned in Awake Incorporated a sum of 64 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: over three hundred thousand dollars after Bud's death, leaving his 65 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: wife Marcia only seventy thousand dollars. This was not the 66 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: only issue Upper Management that in Awake was concerned about. 67 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: During this meeting, it was also discussed that Petter was 68 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: still planning to sell in Awake. Petter's son in law 69 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: James Henry Evans and Jim Womack had put in a 70 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: bid to buy the organization, and we're in the process 71 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: of getting their finances together. Louis Petter decided against the sale, 72 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: further aggravating the family involved in Upper Management. At an 73 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: annual Fellowship meeting in six Petter surprised the staff and 74 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: board of directors by announcing a new head of management. 75 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: Just under Petter. One Fred Fulmer Evans was outraged after 76 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: realizing he would not be able to buy in Awake 77 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 1: and left the gathering early. The board and upper management 78 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: were now beginning to become weary of Petter themselves. In short, 79 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: they wanted Petter out. Their trust in him began to 80 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: erode seriously with that incident in the van in Mexico, 81 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: and they began rethinking some other things that they had 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: ignored in the past. If you look at Sarah's testimony, 83 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: she says several times she regrets having been controlled. And 84 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: it's not just by Petter, I mean Petter, it's Sarah 85 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: tillus Is sort of examining her whole life. At one point, 86 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: she says, I've been controlled by white men for too long. 87 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: Sarah Tillis is having an epiphany that starts in eighty four, 88 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: and by the time Pedigo dies, Sarah Tillis's epiphany is 89 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: the death knell for Lewis Petter's abuse. Over the past 90 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: several weeks, we have received member of very serious allegations 91 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: concerning both the facility out there in a number of 92 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: individuals involved with him. It was just a form of 93 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: their therapy. They were told to do it, and at 94 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: the time he was fourteen and a half, fifteen years old, 95 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: they didn't know any better. I asked him, why are 96 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 1: you letting this happen? Why are you covering up for 97 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: Louis Petcker. He had no answer to that question. Involved 98 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: having a new sitution, paid it little such shock district way, 99 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: and to do absolutely the contrary of what they should 100 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: have done. I'm disturbed over the fact of something and 101 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: he's still going on it. An I wake you. I'm 102 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 1: Josh Stean, and this is camp Hell and awake. Key 103 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: members of an Awaki's upper management were beginning to see 104 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: Louis Petter in a new light and starting to connect 105 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: the dots of the suspicious activity they had seen before. 106 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: Sarah Tillis would attempt to have Petter removed at a 107 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: Board of Directors meeting, but Petter had another trick up 108 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: his sleeve. Yet again, through a technicality of the Board 109 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: of Directors by laws, Petter made it known that Sarah 110 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: Tillis was in fact not even a part of the 111 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: board anymore. Tillis would be unable to voice her concern 112 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: at the board meeting, and it infuriated her. Sarah Tillis 113 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: wanted to remove Petter, believing that they were still potential 114 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: for anawaki. She would soon learn something that would change that. 115 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: Sarah's purpose all along was to get it back into shape. 116 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: She believed in the mission, the fundamental mission of the place, 117 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: because her sons had been treated there. Then one of 118 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: her sons told him that he too had been abused 119 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: sexually by Louis Petter, and I changed her life. That 120 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: changed her goals. At that point. Her goal was to 121 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: get rid of Petter and to get him in jail. 122 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: By June of six, Tillis was keeping daily notes of 123 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: her actions regarding an awake. She had attempted to have 124 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: Petter removed from the board, only to find that he 125 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: had in fact had her and another colleague removed first. 126 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: She then decided to take matters even further into her 127 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: own hands, meeting with the law firm to discuss trying 128 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: to conduct her own investigation into an awake concerning misuse 129 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: of corporate funds, abuse and sexual abuse happening. Tillis writes 130 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: that she was recommended to hire a former FBI agent 131 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: to conduct a private investigation for the cost of up 132 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: to one hundred thousand dollars. Jim Parum was included in 133 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: this meeting as well. Back at the helm of Annawake's 134 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: board of directors, after his stints serving in Jimmy Carter's 135 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: presidential cabinet, Parum stated that an in house committee would 136 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: clean up all of the problems at Anawaki. Sarah wrote 137 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: that as she and her husband left the office, Param's 138 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: last words to her were this quote, Sarah, it will 139 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: never be cleaned up. It will be a whitewash you 140 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: watch and see. In July, Sarah Tillis went to Jim 141 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: Parham again to show him some irregularity she had found 142 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: in the company's finances. A memo from Param covering the 143 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: concerns mentions a laundry list of illegal actions, including embezzlement 144 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: of funds from Petter regarding his pension, a new accountant 145 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: keeping financial records outside of the state for quote safe keeping, 146 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: shady real estate deals with questionable leasing for Anawak's properties, 147 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: a salary in the form of a scholarship from Annawaki 148 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: given to Petter's daughter Dana while she attended the University 149 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: of Georgia, and a large amount of lost or stolen 150 00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 1: money from last year's Mexico trip. Totaling twenty dollars in ash, 151 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: as well as over twelve thousand dollars of expended jewelry. 152 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: Harm was informed or at least aware of the concern 153 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: of sexual abuse taking place at Anawaki as well. In 154 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: a letter from PARAM to one of an Awake's lawyers 155 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 1: from July six, he asks about in Awake's liability in 156 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: the case of any child abuse or molestation taking place. 157 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: There is no mention of concern for the victims, only 158 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: making sure to keep the board safe from any further litigation. 159 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,599 Speaker 1: In a board meeting that same month, it was decided 160 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 1: that Lewis Petter and his wife Mabel, would leave in 161 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: Awake on a sabbatical, still receiving their monthly salaries until 162 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: the end of the year. After that Petter would officially 163 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: retire from his role. The writing was on the wall 164 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 1: and it was time for Petter to distance himself from 165 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: the organization. The Board of an Awake was attempting to 166 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: address the issues in house as best they could, but 167 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: it was too late. Local law enforcement had already begun 168 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: their own investigation. While Jim Palm is documented as having 169 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: known of the allegations of child abuse as early as July. 170 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: Nothing was reported to local police by the Anawaki organization. 171 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: PALM had, however, relaid this information to a number of 172 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: attorneys under its employment. The district attorney for Douglasville at 173 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: the time, Frank Wynn, says he had his suspicions about 174 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: in Awake for some time. Once Sarah Tillis decided to 175 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: bring her story to him, he says, Sheriff Earl Lee 176 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: began to investigate and whose scope would be far greater 177 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: than they originally realized. After Earl started talking to whoever 178 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: the ones were that he interviewed to start with, it 179 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: was like a snowball going downhill. Each one of them, 180 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 1: it seemed, would have other people's names that they would 181 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: suggest or tell Earl he needed to talk to, and 182 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 1: it became overwhelming a lot quicker than either one of 183 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: us thought as far as people to talk to. Now 184 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: he would try to talk to some of them who 185 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: would not talk to him. And this is purely an example, 186 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: without no without remembering anything specific, he would talk to 187 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: one of the kids. They would give him a list 188 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: of anywhere from two to six or seven other people 189 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: to talk to. Maybe only two of the would talk 190 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: to Earle and the others wouldn't, but the two that 191 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: would talk would say yes, and it was like they 192 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: were finally getting something off their chest. And one of 193 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 1: them would give Earl a list of another five names, 194 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: and again he would have five more that there would 195 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: be hit or missed with which ones would talk to him. 196 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: But as that list exponentially would grow, some of the 197 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: same names would come up more than once. So somebody 198 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: that might not have talked to Earl to begin with, 199 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: Earl would go back to him and let them know, look, 200 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: you're not alone, and we know from three other people 201 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: that you were somebody who was in the the right 202 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: situation it looked like, and and eventually there were several 203 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,559 Speaker 1: people that wouldn't talk to Earl that later did. Frank 204 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: said that for Earl Lee, it didn't matter what time 205 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: of day or night. If someone wanted to come forward 206 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: and speak, he would be there to listen. I won't 207 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: ever forget Earl getting a phone call from somebody out 208 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: of state and said they wanted to talk to him, 209 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: and Earl basically said, you know, I'll talk to you 210 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: whenever you can get here, and he said, well, I 211 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: can come now, and somewhere around two three o'clock in 212 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: the morning. Earl had one of his deputies, Ryani Shattucks, 213 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: was the one that usually got to do it. Earl 214 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: started with the old HS type of camera video in 215 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: the interviews, and so three o'clock in the morning he's 216 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: got Ryane Shattucks out of bed at the office, you know, 217 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: making him video his interview of this kid that just 218 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: gotten in touch with him and said he wanted to talk. 219 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: Didn't bother Earl to get up at three o'clock, two 220 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: o'clock in the morning and go meet a kid. This 221 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: was important to talk to this kid. He needed to talk, 222 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: and Earl was ready to listen to him. It was 223 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: not long after local law enforcement had begun their initial 224 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: investigation until the Georgia Bureau of Investigations began getting involved 225 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: with the case against an Awaki. I can tell you 226 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: it's snowballed fairly quickly, and it would have been within 227 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: when I say, a short period of time. I'm talking about, 228 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: you know, just a few months, and it was more 229 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: a matter of manpower issues than anything. Antawaki was now 230 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: in damage control mode. A letter from Antawaki's attorney, Baxter Davis, 231 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: was sent to all employees of the organization, reminding them 232 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: of the confidentiality of an Awaki business. Jim Parham, now 233 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: heading the board of directors after Petter had stepped down, 234 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: fired three staff members, one including a nurse who had 235 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: sexual relations with a patient on the Mexico trip and 236 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: another who quote lost control while trying to restrain a child. 237 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: Frank Win says that an Awaki was anything but cooperative 238 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: with law enforcement during their investigation. Well, we had to 239 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: get some search warrants, so they weren't. But of course 240 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: his whole family was involved in an Awake, so some 241 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: of the stuff that was going on involved getting search 242 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: warrants to go out there. But I would say a 243 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: lot of the people that Earl interviewed that we're not 244 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: family members. I think a majority of them were were cooperative. 245 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: If it was something to do with the pet Or family, 246 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: the co operation was minimal and sometimes maybe superficial would 247 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: be a better description of the cooperation. Frank says that 248 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: Earl Lee was now going back through any files which 249 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: they had on an Awaki, one of which being the 250 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: suicide that had taken place a few years back. This incident, too, 251 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: seemed to fit the same pattern of abuse which they 252 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:06,479 Speaker 1: had seen. I won't say enough about Earle and how 253 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: much he worked, but one of the things he would 254 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: also remember stuff about old cases, and he he never 255 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: forgot that. And so one of the things he knew 256 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 1: when we were looking at other documents was he was 257 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: always wondering if there was anything related to the kid 258 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 1: that had dove off the chimney onto the concrete slab. 259 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: And he found in during a search we had taken 260 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: some documents, and he found a document related to that kid. 261 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: And of course Earle would have been looking for that 262 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: while while we're going through everything. Earl would have remember 263 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: that kid's name and look for it. And I remember 264 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 1: him telling me he found the file on the kid, 265 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: and and the kid had been my memory without knowing 266 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: all of the details of what the kids issues were. 267 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: But the kid had progressed and and it appeared that 268 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: Louis Petter had had some uh time with the kid. 269 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: So the Earl and to us, it looked like this 270 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: kid had progressed through the hospital in a way that 271 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 1: he should have graduated, and he was ready to graduate, 272 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 1: and he was told that you're not graduating from the program. 273 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: And in that file it also reflected that there appeared 274 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,479 Speaker 1: to have been some time where Louis Petter had wanted 275 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: the kid to go with him some places, and he 276 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: may have actually gone with him. So, without knowing what happened, 277 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: we felt like there had been possibly some rejection, but 278 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: definitely the kid was ready to leave and was prevented 279 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: from leaving, and so it opened up a whole another 280 00:18:53,880 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: idea or questions about why the kid committed suicide. Recalls 281 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: he had had some time with Lewis Petter and he 282 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: had been prevented from leaving when it appeared that his 283 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: records showed he was ready to leave. By September, news 284 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: had been informed that an official investigation into Annawaki was 285 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: being conducted. Parents of patients were sent letters from the 286 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: new head of the administration, Jim Parham. Scott Hole was 287 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: a patient during this time. He was supposed to go 288 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: on the annual Mexico trip that year. These plans changed, however, 289 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 1: once the criminal investigation began. So I'll probably remember the 290 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: investigation starting just before we were supposed to take the 291 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: trip to Mexico. You know, we didn't have access to 292 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: media or anything like that, so we had no way 293 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: of knowing anything. That was going on. We couldn't talked 294 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: to our parents for the most part unless we were 295 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,919 Speaker 1: CRESS members, So you know, we we were in this bubble. 296 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: But then when we were not allowed to go Mexico 297 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: and had to go out west, that's I guess when 298 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: it really dawned on me that this is a serious 299 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: investigation and you know something's gonna happen. I don't really 300 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 1: remember an announcement about the investigation. I remember there was 301 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: a lot of scuttle butt and you know, the kids 302 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: talking amongst themselves of rumors that they had heard about 303 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: this or about that. Carl Moore was also supposed to 304 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: go on that year's Mexico trip. That summer's trip, we 305 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: didn't go to Mexico. We just went around the United States. 306 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: But before we left, I knew that something was going on. 307 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: I didn't think too much of it. I just knew 308 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: something was going on. There weren't any details that our 309 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: call at the time. That was at the beginning of 310 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: the summer. I want to say, I think when we 311 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: got back from that trip, it sounded like something serious 312 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: was going on, you know, but it was all post is, like, 313 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: you know, we got a political problem, there's a problem 314 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: with the board or something like that is I think 315 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: the way it was kind of played out in front 316 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 1: of me. Initially, Carl remembers a conversation with Louis Petter's 317 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: adopted son, Gus, a quadriplegic who Carl believes went through 318 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: the same abuse that he endured for years. At some 319 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: point about that time, I went to visit Gus Gus Petter, 320 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: who was I don't know if he was ever legally 321 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 1: adopted or not, but probably went through the same things 322 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: I did. I was friends with him, but he was 323 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 1: a quadriplegic, and he and I never talked about it. 324 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: But when I mentioned to him that something was going on, 325 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: and Gus said, what's It's not about sex, is it? 326 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,239 Speaker 1: And I said, I don't know, he says, well, if 327 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: it's about sex, they'll they'll eat him alive or something 328 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 1: like that. That was kind of like a moment in 329 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: time where I kind of felt like there was a 330 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 1: history there that I didn't know about. That was my 331 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: first inkling of that. And it wasn't long after that 332 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,639 Speaker 1: that I went down to meet Patter's attorneys. They essentially 333 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: wanted a video tape me, you know, denying everything anything 334 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: sexual or inappropriate, or financial or anything. I was definitely 335 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: on the party line at that point. At some point 336 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,360 Speaker 1: I had an encounter with Thoroughly. I think they came 337 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: over actually to search the house or something. I had 338 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: noticed somebody was watching the house at any rate, when 339 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: they came to search the house, I called the attorney 340 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: and I think I left there and they gave me 341 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: an attorney. I didn't know Early. I met him there 342 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:48,360 Speaker 1: at Petter's house first time, but I knew who he was. Anyway, 343 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: It wasn't It wasn't too long after that that Douglas County. Uh. 344 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: They had asked me to come down there for questioning, 345 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: and I did, but I called the attorney. They said, 346 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: if anything happens, you call us. I called them. Carl 347 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: had asked his appointed attorney if he could go pick 348 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: up some of his belongings, as he was going to 349 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: be in custody for some time. I asked if I 350 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: could go back and get some stuff, and he said, well, 351 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna check with Early and see if it's okay 352 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: for you get some of your stuff out of the house. 353 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: So I did. I went back there and that's when 354 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: they arrested me. So Carl had been arrested with the 355 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: charge of sodomy with none other than his own abuser, 356 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: Louis Petter. Because in the state of Georgia, the act 357 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: of sodomy itself was a crime, both Petter and Carl 358 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: could be charged with the same act. I didn't know 359 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: this at the time, but the way they wrote it, 360 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: the statute of limitations had actually expired on it. It 361 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,879 Speaker 1: really wasn't even a valid warrant. But of course they 362 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,400 Speaker 1: brought me in and I just denied it because that's 363 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: what I was told to expect and what and told 364 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: what to do. But they brought me in and put 365 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 1: me in h the room. So I just spent the 366 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: night in that room. It's the same thing that technically 367 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: they could have charged everybody who was in the accounts 368 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: against Petter with the same thing. That was a hard 369 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: thing to get over. That was the last time I 370 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: saw any of them was the day I was arrested. 371 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 1: I never went back and saw anybody. Do you ever 372 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: speak with Petter again? No, Carl says it was with 373 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 1: the help of his attorney, David Botts, that he decided 374 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 1: what he ultimately had to do. The next morning, I 375 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,880 Speaker 1: happened to be looking out the window and I saw 376 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: my dad walking across the parking lot. I hadn't seen him, 377 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: and probably five years or six years, David Botts ended 378 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: up coming down and he said the perfect thing to me. 379 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: He said, you can tell the truth about this stuff. 380 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: It's gonna be okay. He says, you can lie about it. 381 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 1: It's gonna be okay, but it's gonna cost you a 382 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:07,479 Speaker 1: lot more money. It was something like that, and uh, 383 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: what he was doing was it was helping me to 384 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: do the right thing. And uh, I'll always be grateful 385 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 1: to him for that. I can tell you that. Well. 386 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: The redeeming thing about the whole thing was that they 387 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: could have treated me a lot different than they did. 388 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: It wasn't easy, and I was really really precarious state, 389 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: and I hadn't given them the impression I was going 390 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: to cooperate. And the experience of, you know, going through that, 391 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 1: it was like, uh, it's so hard to describe this 392 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: time when it was almost like I had been blind 393 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden I could see. It was 394 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: almost just that dramatic, the stripping off of the denial, 395 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: and it was just a brutal to do. It can't 396 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: go back and change anything about it, and I don't 397 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: know if it would have worked any different in any 398 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: other way. It's just the way it was. Carl Moore 399 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: would have been initially charged because of what we believed 400 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:20,199 Speaker 1: he had done, and all we may have known to 401 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,399 Speaker 1: start with would have been the side of me with 402 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 1: Lewis Petter. That may have been all we knew, but 403 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: we believed there was more to it as far as 404 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: Carl Moore helping Lewis Petter or being involved with Lewis 405 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,119 Speaker 1: Petter in some ways. So the charge was brought to 406 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: get him to to talk in a shortcut way. That 407 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: is what happened, but it's not actually what we were 408 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: thinking because we didn't know that he would ever talk, 409 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 1: and we believed he was involved, and if he wanted 410 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: to protect Lewis better than he was just gonna have 411 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: to deal with consequences of what he had done. If 412 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: he was a party to the crime, then he was 413 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: gonna have to deal with the consequences if he if 414 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: he had been trained and groomed, then we were ready 415 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: to do what we could to help him. Carl Moore 416 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 1: at the time, I believe was leaving with Lewis Better. 417 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: He was either still there or had just moved out, 418 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: so we believed he was involved, but Carl cooperated later. 419 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: He was one of the ones that gave us a 420 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: lot of good information. We spent about I think I 421 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: went in there every day for a week, and he 422 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: and a couple other guys interviewed me all day long 423 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: for like seven or eight days, just covered everything. As 424 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: you can imagine, it was not an easy thing. At 425 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: some point along the way, I met a couple of 426 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: guys and I don't remember who they were, who had 427 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: been through the same thing I had been through. They 428 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,159 Speaker 1: were from an earlier time, maybe from the seventies. We 429 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,719 Speaker 1: ended up in roomed together, and uh don't remember how 430 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: it happened, but we all knew and we all had 431 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 1: the same story. Frank says that ultimately they did not 432 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: pursue charges against Carl Moore. He says in an investigation 433 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: like this, the line between victim and abuser can sometimes 434 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: be blurred. Such was also the case with Sarah Tillis's 435 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: son David, who had also been a victim of Petter's abuse, 436 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: but may have also had some accusations against him. However, 437 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 1: no criminal charges or cases were filed against David Tillis 438 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: surrounding these events. I remember vaguely that there had been 439 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: some accusations about till Us. I can't tell you why 440 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: he wasn't charged, because I don't remember the details of 441 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: any involvement that David Tillis had, but I do know 442 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: that he was someone that had been in my mind, 443 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: I believe he was someone that had been abused and 444 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: groomed by Petter. That would have been the number one 445 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: thought going through my mind. David was, from my perspective, 446 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: just like everyone else who had gone through what I 447 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: had gone through, no question about it. I mean, he 448 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: definitely went through at least most of the things I did. 449 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: It's like Carl Moore, No matter what we believed at 450 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: the beginning, we didn't pursue the charges because we knew 451 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: he was he was truly a victim. It makes it 452 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: hard for me to tell you why we did or 453 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 1: didn't do something on David Tillis or any of them, 454 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 1: other than I know that Better had taught them what 455 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 1: he tried to teach several of them. After months of 456 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: gathering testimony, the authorities now had enough evidence to obtain 457 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: an arrestaurrant for Louis Petter. The only problem was Petter 458 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: had fled the country at the advice I said Jim Parham. 459 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: Louis Petter and his wife Mabel left the country to 460 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: stay at their residence in Pachuco, Mexico. In a statement 461 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: from Parham, he said, quote Mr Petter went on vacation 462 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: last week to Mexico. I'm sure they will return once 463 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 1: their attorney informed them of the charges. We want everyone 464 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: to know that at the beginning of the investigation we 465 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: offered our cooperation to the g v I and the 466 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 1: sheriff's officers. Psychologist Roger Wren, one of the original whistleblowers 467 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:39,200 Speaker 1: who attempted to report the abuse back in nine received 468 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: a call one day from out of the blue. I 469 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: was in my practice seeing patients and my secretary interrupted. 470 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: She said, Dr wrenn, I've got somebody on the phone 471 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 1: and needs to talk to you. And I said, well, 472 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: who's that and she said a sheriff. I said, oh, 473 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: what sheriff And she said, Sheriff Lee. I don't know 474 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: a Sheriff Lee, but I'll talk to him. And he 475 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: had a very distinct Southern accent. I had met him. 476 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: I found out later years before when he was a 477 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: deputy with the Abercrombie. But you know, he and I 478 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: didn't get together at all at that point. But he 479 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: called me but he said doctor ran and I hate 480 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: to mimic his voice, but he was such a cool character. 481 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: I said yes, sir, and he said this sheriff early. 482 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: I said yes, sir. He said, we got the s 483 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: O B. And I said what, And I had no 484 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,360 Speaker 1: idea who's talking about? He said, yeah, it looks like 485 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: a duck. Fly is like a duck, swims like a duck, 486 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: cracks like a duck. Probabilit DIDs a duck. And I 487 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: said who are you talking about? And he said, louis 488 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: your room heater and I almost cried. I mean I 489 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: got emotionally. My patient was sitting there one and what's 490 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: wrong with that guy? And I said hallelujah. And then 491 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: he told me there were something like two hundred and 492 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: seventy instants is of sexual assault and that they had 493 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 1: no question and he was really wanting the transcript of 494 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: the hearing. And I told him that Bob Dextino had 495 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:14,479 Speaker 1: it and it purchased it with his own money for 496 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: this day and the man. You could you can hear 497 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 1: him laughing on the other side. He said, I'm so happy, 498 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: no matter whatever happened to uh shareff Lee. That is 499 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: his proudest moment. I was very happy for him, but 500 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 1: I was happier for the for the kids. The one 501 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: reason we did this, because it was not a picnic, 502 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 1: is to protect these kids. And I don't think the 503 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: kids knew what was going on and how much pain 504 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 1: we had because we didn't share it with him. But 505 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: it was a tough road to hole. But at that 506 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: moment I completely relaxed. I realized I'd been carrying that 507 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: load for fifteen to twenty years. It was just a 508 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: relief off my back. And then Bob and I talked 509 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: in the rest of courses history. On October five, Louis 510 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 1: Petter had finally surrendered to the authorities. Sheriff Earl Lee, 511 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: along with help from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, were 512 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: now intrenched in a full blown investigation of the operation. 513 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: Jim Parham, now taking over Petter's role, has headed the 514 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: Board of Directors, issued a statement to the press. If 515 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,040 Speaker 1: anybody has committed acts of wrongdoing I have noticed, are 516 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 1: whom anyway protect them from whatever the law provides. Petter 517 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: was charged with three counts of si to me, one 518 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: count of cruelty to children, and one count of simple battery. 519 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: These charges would grow as the investigation would broaden. With 520 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 1: Petter now in police custody, they had to make sure 521 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: he would stay in Douglas County before his trial. Frank 522 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: Winn says that in order to do this they used 523 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 1: the only tool they had, his bond. Petter's bond was 524 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: set to an unheard of amount at the time of 525 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: one million dollars. By many sources, this was considered to 526 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 1: be an impossible bond and one that was not meant 527 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:42,680 Speaker 1: to be paid. When we arrested Lewis Petter, him being 528 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: in charge of the biggest emotional care hospital in the 529 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: state of Georgia, if not the Southeast, it was certainly 530 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:58,280 Speaker 1: a major deal. And so he's also had enough prestige, 531 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: and I say that in cheek, but certainly enough influence 532 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:07,800 Speaker 1: and enough presence in the community and in the state 533 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:10,920 Speaker 1: that that's a big deal to arrest somebody like that, 534 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,720 Speaker 1: especially for the type of charges that we were arresting 535 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 1: him for. And I don't recall what all Judge James 536 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: may have said at any bond hearing we had, and 537 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 1: I don't recall exactly how the million dollar amount came about, 538 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:35,400 Speaker 1: but it sort of was a compromise between the idea 539 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 1: that we've uh that somebody has been arrested that is 540 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: well known and possibly well respected, and at the same 541 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:50,240 Speaker 1: time we thought he was a horrible person and horrible charges. 542 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:54,799 Speaker 1: And so the bond at that time would have been 543 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 1: ten times larger than probably any bond I'd ever dealt with. 544 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: Uh uh. I think the largest bond I had dealt 545 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: with before that was a hundred thousand dollar bond that 546 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 1: had been granted in a case. So the million dollar 547 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:16,480 Speaker 1: bond was way out of the ordinary, but we felt 548 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:20,920 Speaker 1: like at the time it gave us some assurance that 549 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: he wasn't going anywhere. Nearly five weeks after Petter had 550 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 1: been taken into custody, a group of friends and supporters 551 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,960 Speaker 1: had managed to pull together the one million dollars to 552 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,919 Speaker 1: have him released. Two hundred thousand dollars of this money 553 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:42,480 Speaker 1: was taken from Anawaki estates, many of the other payments 554 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: from members of Aniwaki's board. What had been thought to 555 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:50,680 Speaker 1: be an impossible bond had been reached, Petter was released 556 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 1: from the Douglas County Jail on November seven. Petter expressed 557 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,760 Speaker 1: his thanks to the friends and family responsible for his release. 558 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 1: I want to express my appreciation to the many families 559 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:09,640 Speaker 1: and friends that have united together to make an impossible 560 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:14,160 Speaker 1: bond possible, and I appreciate their love and concern, and 561 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,320 Speaker 1: my God bless each one of a comment on the chargers. 562 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:21,759 Speaker 1: He's not guilty of the chargers, and he's gonna prove it. 563 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: Petter was free from jail while the investigation into an 564 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:31,840 Speaker 1: Awake he grew. More faculty members were being charged daily. 565 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: At this time, multiple civil suits against an Awake and 566 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 1: Lewis Petter were also being filed. Petter's world was literally 567 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: falling down around him, yet the community was still in 568 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:48,040 Speaker 1: his corner. Would the authorities finally have enough evidence to 569 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,840 Speaker 1: put Petter away for good and put an end to 570 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: the decades long history of abuse and awake he had perpetuated? 571 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:03,960 Speaker 1: Next Time Camp help in a week. I believe what 572 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:07,719 Speaker 1: we did was to take what we could from the 573 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,800 Speaker 1: Petter family and place it where it needed to be. 574 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: Don't you think he knew that what people we could 575 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: go to and say we'd better check into this thing 576 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:19,879 Speaker 1: about Louis powder sodomizing patients, said an awake was unreasonably 577 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: to expect that the head of a huge department would 578 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 1: perform that kind of direct service. This was the most 579 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:30,759 Speaker 1: important caation that I've been involved in. We had so 580 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 1: many simple working for us someone one time that it 581 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 1: was just impossible to keep up with it, but we 582 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: did it. It was really scary testifying in court, but 583 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 1: at the same time it was a good feeling because 584 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: I had a lot of anger, because I felt like 585 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 1: I had been stripped at four years of my life. 586 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:03,080 Speaker 1: Kemp how Anna Wake was created and hosted by Josh Thane, 587 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 1: with producer Miranda Hawkins and executive producers Alex Williams and 588 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,919 Speaker 1: Matt Frederick. The soundtrack was written and performed by Josh 589 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 1: Thane and Adrian Barry. Archival footage provided by ws B 590 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:19,440 Speaker 1: and CBS News. Find us on Instagram at camp hell 591 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 1: pod That's c A M p h E L l 592 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:26,799 Speaker 1: p O. D. Educate yourself about the issue of child 593 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 1: abuse and things that you should look for at the 594 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:32,799 Speaker 1: Darkness to Light website d too well dot org. That's 595 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 1: d The number two l dot org camp hell Ana 596 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,560 Speaker 1: Wake is a production of I heart Radio. For more 597 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:43,720 Speaker 1: podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 598 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,960 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.