RIVER FOREST, Ill. (STMW) – A River Forest man who took in dozens of foster children since 1996 and volunteered with local youth groups was charged Friday with the sexual abuse of two girls.
Robert L. Gaskill, 63, of the 600 block of Ashland Ave., was ordered held Saturday in lieu of $50 million full cash bond by Judge Gregory P. Vasquez.
In bond court Saturday, prosecutors said Gaskill sexually abused two adolescent girls over a period from 1996 to 2009.
He is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Maybrook Courthouse in Maywood. Sources said the case is expected to go to a grand jury for possible formal indictment.
A River Forest detective assisted by members of the WEDGE task force arrested Gaskill at his home Thursday. On Friday the Cook County State’s Attorney approved two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, which is a Class X felony.
Gaskill and his wife have operated a foster care service in their large three-story frame home on Ashland Avenue, and a foster care support system called Tapestry Chicago. He also served on the board of the River Forest Youth Soccer program and was a program coordinator in the late 1990s.
Gaskill currently works as the marketing director at Lydia Home in Chicago, a residential facility for abused children. He previously worked for Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Gaskill is also a former publisher of the Oak Leaves/Pioneer Press West Group, where he worked for 16 years until the mid 1980s. Following that, he was the president and publisher of Chicago Catholic Publications, which publishes the Chicago Archdiocese’s official newspaper, the New World.
Gaskill was not currently an employee of the Catholic New World or New World Publications, Archdiocese of Chicago spokeswoman Susan Burritt said Saturday. She did not immediately have any information on when he had served as publisher for Chicago Catholic Publications.
In a 2009 interview with the Forest Leaves, Gaskill said he and his wife had “been opening their home to foster children for about 15 years.” Many of them had disabilities of some kind.
He said he had fostered “about 75 different children over that time.”
In 2009, the Gaskills had 12 children, four biological, six adopted and two in foster care.
“Long before we got married, while we were dating, we both agreed we wanted to have large families,” Rob Gaskill said in 2009. “We thought it would be fun to have a lot of children.”
Source http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/02/04/one-time-religious-publisher-foster-parent-charged-with-sex-abuse-of-two-girls/
CPS corruption hurts and destroys families worldwide. Please use caution posting about CPS here or anyplace on the internet. For your protection, using your full, real name and precise location is not advised. CPS has eyes everywhere and CPS is notorious for taking what people say, twisting it, embellishing on it and then using it against them in CPS "investigations" and at court proceedings.
Greed was the primary reason this family took in and fostered and
ReplyDeleteadopted special needs children. The state failed these children
miserably by allowing as many as eight special needs children be fostered and apparently adopted to a couple that could not possibly meet the needs of just one of them, let alone eight.
These parents were well known in the community and unfortunately
some in the community dubbed them "Saints" and champions of
special needs children.
Many other's in the community knew they treated their biological
children totally differently. It was obvious to these unfortunate
children as well. These children were only welcomed into this
home for the large amount of tax free money received from the
state per special need child whether foster or adopted eventually as well. This state needs a major overhaul on placing so many
special needs children in one home. It is hard to meet the needs
of one, let alone eight. These children deserved better.
Mr. Gaskll stated in the 2009 interview having lots of children would
be fun, Sadly, the sexual abuse on two of the children for nearly
ten years was not only financially beneficial; but disgustingly proved
for Mr. Gaskill also an easy way to prey upon children that were
ill equipped to reveal the suffering they endured for years as they
were probably threatened and were manipulated by this sick man.
Thankfully, their voices are being heard loud and clear and the
man who has added even more baggage into their lives will
face the punishment he deserves.
I wonder how much "fun" Mr.Gaskill thinks having a big family is now
that he and his wife added on top of their four biological children
is by taking in the most vulnerable of the vulnerable into their
home for monetary gains; and not for any shape or form for
the children entrusted in he and his wife"s care is now that
he is exposed for the dirt bag he really is
The behavior speaks for itself. Do you think any of his biological
children suffered and had their childhood innocence taken
away for nearly 10 years and having to look him in the eye every day
and still call him"Dad"?
I guess the "fun" Mr. Gaskill thought he and his wife would have
for parenting a lot of children was at the expense and very large price the children he abused will have on top of the other baggage
they had to start out in life with and will need years of therapy
because they were sadly placed in to the trust and care of parents
who professed to be a voice for children of special needs and abuse
and were deemed by the state case workers as well as social workers
qualifying for the most important job in the world.....PARENTING
FOSTER CHILDREN and even ADOPTING them no less.
MR. Gaskill will probably claim he is innocent and blame the children of delusional thinking or even mental illness.
The fact that he in sitting in jail where he belongs with a bond
set on him for 50 million dollars speaks volumes on who the
"Sick" person really is.
I'm afraid the "fun" is only beginning for the man who professed
to be a pillar of the community and his church.........
right where he deserves to be ........and stay for a very long time....
COOK COUNTY JAIL
only needs that this couple met for these children were basic.
A roof over there head, clothing and food.
Will you attend court on Thursday? Please continue to report on this man.
ReplyDeleteI would like to attend court on Thursday
ReplyDeleteunfortunately I can not as my younger child
needs her mom to drive her to school and I
am voluntering to help in the lunchroom which
I do every Thursday. I think the state and the states attorneys office needs to get professional children psychologists and talk
to each child that was removed from the home
after the arrest as children will speak when the veil of fear is removed and often can
give details about their daily lives that
they could not express even at school for fear of perhaps punishment and scolding
by thier foster/adopted parents.
I hope the newspapers do a report on how these poor children fell through the cracks and take the heat and responsibility for
placing these children with these people
in the first place. Everyone that has a special needs child knows how hard it is to make sure their every need is being met and
that without the love and support they give
their children the chances of them overcoming even the smallest disability
without their total dedication and invovement
would likely be non excistent and the child would
not know how far they can spread their wings and fly. In this case with eight and 4 biological at one time these poor chidren
unfortunely could not spread their wings.
Their wings were clipped when the state allowed this to happen to the most vulnerable of the vulnerable.
To add insult to injury, two of these children will now have more hardship and
psychological damage that they will need thearpy and even will have to carry this
burden the rest of their lives.
We can only hope justice will be served
and this despicable predeator spend the rest
of his life in jail.
Also, I hope the children removed from the home never return and get a new start and be surrounded by the
love they should have had to begin with.
It will not be easy for them but with professionals helping them and parents that can give them the love and home they deserve
they will hopefully someday look back at this
time in their lives as a second chance to
be loved and valued in a real family.
God help us if these children don't get another chance to live the life they deserve.
http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/02-09-2012/River_Forest_foster_dad_to_be_indicted_Feb._24
ReplyDeleteIf they are going straight to indictment -- that is because he confessed and there is no need for a trial, right?
According to press realise this afternoon
ReplyDeletehe will face a grand jury inditement on two counts of predatory criminal assault against a child. Bond was lowered to 25 million. He
is still being held at Cook County Jail and
is to return to court on Feb.24th. His attorney asked for hospitalization for high blood-pressure and Pros.cancer? Judge denied.
This is a sad situation for everyone involved; especially the children both biological , foster and adopted alike.
ReplyDeletePrayers and support will be needed to help this family get through
this difficult time. Whether accusations are true or not; the family
is all affected and hopefully they all have a support system that
can hold them up and see them through where ever this case goes
and for the duration of their lives whether guilt or innocence is proved in court. Everyone should pray for this family and friends as
God only knows the truth and with his help justice for the victims
will prevail. THe victims voices need to be heard and investigated
to reveal the truths or untruths of this situation.
Regardless, no one in this family including the victims and the
family at large should have to suffer speculation as that is for the legal system. All involved need support and prayers and
let the courts determine whether this family should of had so many
children with special needs be placed in one home.
THe system needs to take responsibility and be held accountable for
letting the children slip through the cracks if that is what happened here.
update artcles;
ReplyDeletehttp://oakpark.suntimes.com/news/11341487-418/accused-foster-parent-free-after-bond-lowered.html
http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/03-16-2012/Gaskill_pleads_not_guilty_in_River_Forest_child_abuse_case