FOXBORO (MA)
The Sun Chronicle
December 14, 2017
By Rick Foster
FOXBORO — Leaders of a local effort to expand reporting of suspected sexual abuse of children say they’re feeling good about chances of getting state legislators to take action on a bill this year.
Members of a local committee formed to combat sexual abuse testified before the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities last week on the bill that would broaden mandated reporting of suspected abuse to include a wide range of people who work with children, including volunteer coaches.
The bill is the legacy of reported sexual victimization of children by a teacher and volunteer swim coach locally and in Florida over more than two decades. Former Foxboro resident William Sheehan, who also served as a scoutmaster, has been accused of assaulting dozens of children during that time.
However, it was decades before Sheehan’s alleged crimes were reported.
Local officials including state Rep. Jay Barrows, R-Mansfield, who filed the bill said they believed they got a sympathetic reception from the legislative committee.
“I think we all left with a sense that the members present were supportive,” said Rev. William Dudley, who testified he was assaulted by Sheehan as a child. “Chairman (Kay) Kahn seemed very much so, as did another representative to her left. Jay explained it will be a slog to get there, but we left feeling quite upbeat.”
Police Lt. Richard Noonan was equally pleased with the reception.
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