BY DAN HORN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A Westwood woman says her family was recently forced to move because her 8-year-old daughter endured so much harassment after telling police that four boys sexually abused her.
At a juvenile court hearing Friday, the girl's mother said relatives of the boys have repeatedly threatened her family and ridiculed her daughter.
"It's out of hand and there's nothing I can do," the woman said outside the courtroom. "They have come back and harassed us, threatened us and terrorized us."
She said the trouble started just days after her daughter told police that four boys -- ages 8 through 10 -- took her into woods on Aug. 12, pulled down her shorts and sexually assaulted her.
Three of the four boys pleaded not guilty Friday to charges ranging from gross sexual imposition to rape. The fourth pleaded not guilty last week and will return to court with the rest for a trial on Oct. 8. Although the boys were released into the custody of their parents last month, they remain under a court order to avoid contact with the girl or her family.
All four must wear electronic monitoring devices to ensure they do not venture beyond their homes or school.
The girl's mother, however, complained that police and court officials have been unable to prevent the boys' friends and relatives from verbally harassing her daughter.
"My daughter was scared of that neighborhood," said her mother, who is not being named to protect the girl's identity.
During the hearing Friday, Juvenile Court Magistrate Mary Schulcz told the girl's mother to call police immediately if anyone threatens her child. Ms. Schulcz said there is no evidence the boys are involved because the monitoring devices have not recorded any violations.
The magistrate also refused a request from the boys' attorneys to take them off the monitoring program. The attorneys said their clients have "taken some flak" from other kids for walking around with the electronic bracelets.
"It's embarrassing for him," said Jonathan Dameron, an attorney for one of the boys.
As the lawyers spoke, the girl's mother sighed loudly and muttered to herself. "That's too bad it's embarrassing," she said.
Outside the courtroom, she complained that so much time was spent discussing the welfare of the accused assailants.
"That was sickening," she said. "Those boys knew what they did was wrong, and they should be punished for it."
