Police investigating allegations of ‘inappropriate contact’ between students at summer camp

Two law enforcement agencies are investigating a report of “inappropriate contact” between juveniles at a summer camp.

The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and Fairview Heights police are investigating a report made Aug. 29, alleging contact made during a Whiteside School District 115 summer camp.

District 115 Superintendent Peggy Burke said the Summer of Academics and Recreation camp, also known as SOAR, is for children going into first through fifth grades. About 50 students participated in the camp this summer, Burke said.

Police are investigating the report as an isolated incident, Tim Mueller of Fairview Heights police said. The Department of Children and Family Services is also involved, according to Burke.

Burke said SOAR staff spoke to the parents of students involved in an alleged incident “immediately” after it was reported to the district Aug. 15. Another parent came forward last week, which is also when police got involved, with a report about the same summer camp.

“We got a report Monday, the 28th, that there perhaps had been some earlier incidents,” Burke said.

The district planned to send a letter to all district parents Tuesday, according to Burke.

Capt. Bruce Fleshren of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department said additional reports had not been filed with law enforcement as of Tuesday.

“At this point, we have not been contacted by any other parents,” Fleshren said.

About nine to 10 staff members oversaw the summer camp students on any given day, according to Burke. Fleshren said there was no staff involved in the alleged incidents.

Burke said District 115 was cooperating with the other agencies that are investigating.

“Once the investigations are complete and we know more details, we’ll address that at the time to make sure that we don’t have an issue again,” she said.

The News-Democrat is seeking the police report through a Freedom of Information Act request.

This story was originally published September 5, 2017 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Police investigating allegations of ‘inappropriate contact’ between students at summer camp."