Girl, 7, tells of abuse and rape: Janitor's lawyer hammers at story

Safe on the witness stand with her Winnie the Pooh doll, a 7-year-old girl testified yesterday that a janitor at her Rogers Park nursery school had repeatedly raped and sexually abused her.
But the child contradicted a score of other accusations made earlier to police and her mother, and admitted twice she had lied.

Her alleged attacker, Deloartic Parks, 47, of 7030 S. Peoria, is on trail in Skokie branch of the Circuit Court before Judge Jack G. Stein.

Parks is accused of abusing the girl over the past two years while she was attending the Rogers Park Jewish Community Center school, 7101 N. Greenview. The school closed Aug. 9.
Statements by the child and 20 classmates--about one-forth of the enrollment--claim the janitor, at least 10 staff members and people from outside the school sexually abused them. Only Parks has been charged.

Sex film cited

His attorney, Adam Bougeois, noted that the child's accusations came a month after pupils attended a child sexual-assault prevention program at the school.

The program, presented by a Chicago police officer, included the showing a film, "Mr. Stranger Danger."

The girl, answering questions brightly and with self-composure, but often after 10-second intervals, pointed out Parks and said he had forced intercourse and other sex acts on her at school.

She said he warned her, "Don't tell no one or I'll kill all of you," meaning the child and her parents.

But under questioning by Bourgeois, she denied charges that court records show she made to police and her mother: That Park's put her in the school's furnace and oven, that he gave her a drink that made her dizzy, that nude pictures of the children were taken at the school, that Parks killed a turtle in front other and more than a dozen other allegations. Read more here.