Purdue: ‘We will get to the bottom’ of kids’ camp crimes
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) – Purdue University is closing a camp for kids two weeks early amid reports of violence, sexual assaults and the distribution of child pornography.
Camp DASH was supposed to be a camp where 11- to 15-year-olds lived in a Purdue residence hall, Tarkington Hall, for several weeks while researchers studied their dietary intake. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The university told participating families they’d earn $750 dollars for completing the camp.
Purdue University Police Department records show officers responded to reports of threats, fondling, battery and attempted rape and confinement in July. The logs for those incidents said the suspects and victims were DASH camp participants.
Records show police got a report July 19 that someone distributed child porn in a restroom. The report said a juvenile victim’s parents were notified.
Purdue spokesperson Brian Zink said the reported incidents involved “camp participants only.”
A statement released by Purdue on Tuesday evening said university leaders “believe most of the allegations, including the most serious, trace to the behavior of one girl in the study.”
Purdue sophomores Gisella Garcia and Karen Zomara work summer jobs cleaning up Tarkington Hall.
“Once (the kids) actually moved out, we just saw trash everywhere. Even outside the trash cans,” Garcia said.
“A lot of them seemed pretty messy, walking into the rooms, and kind of disrespectful toward the counselors,” Zomara said.
One June 14, police responded to a report of a camper with a knife.
Another June report said a camper took a swing at a counselor.
Garcia said she once overheard a camper talking back to a counselor.
“One of them said, ‘I’m just getting paid to be here.’ They didn’t want to participate in little group activities because they were just getting paid for this,” Garcia said.
Records show a counselor called police at one point to report someone was threatening to use a gun in his room at Tarkington Hall.
Police reports said at least one camp member had to be removed from Camp DASH after reports of fondling.
University leaders said there is still an active investigation between Purdue police and Indiana Child Protective Services.
The full statement released by Purdue reads as follows:
Purdue Police were first made aware of allegations of misbehavior involving participants in the Camp DASH research study on Wednesday, July 19. Immediately upon hearing the initial report from PUPD, President Mitch Daniels and Provost Jay Akridge directed that the research study be shut down, the students sent home, and a thorough investigation begun.
Based on information gathered thus far, we believe that most of the allegations, including the most serious, trace to the behavior of one girl in the study. PUPD is working with Child Protective Services in the investigation. Any resulting cases will be referred to the Tippecanoe County prosecutor for review and possible charges.
We prioritize the safety of everyone on our campus. Purdue has hosted more than 100 camps this summer without incident. We require every single person in any position of responsibility to take Title IX training, which includes the responsibility to report possible offenses promptly.
We will get to the bottom of this; what we learn will be shared with the press and the public to the extent allowed by law; and there will be consequences.