Social
Services clears Terpko of child abuse
BY JAMES RADA JR.
Thurmont News Editor
THURMONT,
Md. – Not only has the Frederick County State’s
Attorney’s office dropped the child-abuse charge against
Thurmont Commissioner Ron Terpko, but the Frederick County Department
of Social Services has also ruled out child abuse in the case.
In a
letter to Terpko dated June 29, Diana Harrison, social worker
for the case wrote, “The child’s health or welfare
was not harmed or placed at substantial risk or harm.”
Terpko’s
son Brandon was arrested on June 14 along with two other juveniles
for smashing 13 mailboxes in the Thurmont area. Following
the arrest, Terpko left work to pick up his son. An upset
Terpko struck his son once in the face with either a closed
fist or open hand, depending on which police report is cited.
Because
of this action and the fact that Brandon was handcuffed at
the time, County Deputy John McQuain arrested Terpko and charged
him with second-degree assault and child abuse.
State’s
Attorney Scott Rolle dropped the child abuse charge on June
28. He said at the time, “That charge, no matter what
version of the incident you believe, doesn’t fit the
definition. The law says you need to prove intent to maim
or cause physical damage. This simply doesn’t fit.”
When
Assistant State’s Attorney Patricia McLane, who is prosecuting
the Terpko case, was asked whether the Child Protective Services
investigation played a role in the state dropping the child
abuse charge, she said, “No. We received it (the investigation
report) two weeks after we decided not to prosecute for child
abuse.”
Child
Protective Services investigates all cases where there is
a suspicion of sexual, mental or physical abuse or neglect.
Frederick
County Child Protective Services investigated 528 abuse cases
in 2005 and found evidence of abuse in 82 of them, according
to a state report. Over the past nine years, the county agency
has averaged 491 investigations a year and found evidence
of abuse in an average of 69 cases each year.
The Department
of Social Services closed the case against Terpko because
the “safety of the children is assured” and “No
further services are needed.”
Terpko
referred questions related to the case to his attorney Norman
Usiak, who chose not to comment on the results of the investigation.
