In a disturbing case emerging from Chicago, a former counselor at a West Side hospital is facing allegations of sexually abusing children over a span of eight years. Prosecutors have charged 68-year-old Edmund Rivers with five counts of sexual assault.
According to authorities, Rivers preyed on boys aged between 7 and 14 from 1996 to 2004. The incidents allegedly occurred at Hartgrove Behavioral Health Hospital, which has since relocated within the West Side area.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The charges come after five survivors stepped forward, prompted by a civil lawsuit filed against Hartgrove Hospital last year. These survivors have begun to share their stories, seeking justice and accountability.
Attorney Martin Gould, who represents many former patients involved in the lawsuit, emphasized the significance of this legal action. “For the first time in these people’s lives, they have a sense of justice,” Gould remarked. “This person is being taken off the street, and something is finally being done about it.”
Martin Gould is one of the attorneys representing dozens of former patients in that lawsuit.
“For the first time in these people’s lives, they have a sense of justice and something’s being done about it, that this person is being taken off the street,” said Gould, an attorney and founding partner at Gould, Greco and Hensley.
Attorneys in the civil case say Rivers was known as “Staff Perpetrator 1” in the complaint.
“Edmund Rivers was so brazen in his abuse, he felt totally untouchable, that he actually dared victims to come forward, telling them that they would never be believed. And that’s why this arrest just means so much,” Gould said.
Gould said over a dozen clients in their civil case were victimized by Rivers. The survivors include a person, referred to as “John Doe,” who spoke with ABC7’s Michelle Gallardo last year.
He said at 11 years old, he was sexually abused two days into his month-long stay.
“It was almost an every other day occurrence while I was there. If they took more than one of us, then they said they were going to have a group session. They would force us to do things to each other,” he said.
“This is the tip of the iceberg in terms of getting accountability. And we expect many more arrests, and we look forward to seeing that unfold,” Gould said.
At the time, counsel for Hartgrove Hospital disputed the allegations contained in that original lawsuit, writing, “The safety of all patients is of paramount importance to Hartgrove Hospital and we take these allegations seriously. Based upon preliminary review of the lawsuit, Hartgrove denies the allegations against them and intend to defend this case vigorously.”
As for Rivers, after his hearing, a judge ordered him to remain in custody.
