A foster father from Ridge, New York, is on trial for 20 years of alleged sexual abuse of the boys under his care. Cesar Gonzales-Mugaburu has pleaded not guilty.
However, a special grand jury report released last month says the agencies responsible for the placement of the boys let Mugaburu adopt them despite nine child abuse investigations throughout the years.
Prosecutor Laurie Moroff says the children never spoke up last year despite visits from foster care agencies because they are developmentally disabled. After two new arrivals reported Mugaburu and he was arrested last year, they came forward one by one.
“I think that the evidence will show that the corroboration is amongst all of them.”
Moroff says Mugaburu isolated the boys. He would also hit them, deprive them of necessities.
“Using the facilities, going to the bathroom. So he ran this place like a drill sergeant.”
Their biggest fear was that he would send them back to the residential treatment facilities they came from.
Mugaburu’s case has led the special grand jury to investigate how poor communication between agencies responsible for the foster children could have placed them into an abusive home.
