On Monday the Seattle PI published an article about a former youth counselor at the Wallingford Boys and Girls Club who has been charged with first degree sexual misconduct with a minor.
King County prosecutors say the former 24 year old counselor had a sexual relationship with a sixteen year old girl. Julian Alfred Young worked at the club from 2009 until the allegations surfaced last fall. Young was charged this week and has not entered a plea.
We can only imagine how difficult this has been for everyone involved. We checked in with Rachel Doxtater, Communications & Public Relations Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. She asked us to share the following with Wallyhood readers:
We are deeply saddened that a former, part-time staff member at the Wallingford Club was charged with sexual misconduct with a 16-year old. Although the charge was just made, the investigation had been ongoing since late last year. The staff member was terminated promptly in November of 2010.
We’ve worked closely with authorities on this matter and have every reason to believe that this was an isolated incident. Please know that the safety of our kids is always our highest priority. We run extensive background checks on all staff and volunteers that work with kids. In addition, we adhere to strict policies regarding staff to child communications and interactions.
We’re reaching out to parents about this issue and we encourage them to call us with any questions or concerns.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of King County/Wallingford offers opportunities for all of us to get involved, to provide the critical support needed to “fulfill our mission and provide quality programs and services for youth.” You can do that through memberships, United Way Giving, serving on the WBGC Advisory Board, volunteering, and direct donations. Learn how to get involved here.