Day Care “Satanic Abuse” Trials

“From time to time during the 1980s, Americans awoke to headlines announcing that another day care center had been discovered to house a coven of child-abusing conspirators. The resulting court trials showcased often bizarre dramas of small children describing unthinkable acts of sexual abuse. What was especially alarming was that the alleged abusers looked like wholesome loving people, like us.”

However, it turns out that many of these allegations were false, raising dark questions about mob mentality, the limitations of children’s testimony, and the demands of revenge.

Caution: As you might suspect, the topic of these trials is very upsetting to many people. Please do not pursue this avenue of inquiry if it conflicts with your religious or cultural views, or if it makes you uncomfortable.

McMartin & Michaels Preschool Abuse Trials
The Kelly Michaels day care case is featured on Professor Douglas Linder’s terrific website of famous trials. Start with his concise summary of the case. Then be sure to check out his analysis of whether this is a modern day “witch hunt," and read the provocative comparison to McCarthyism right on the front page:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcmartin/mcmartin.html

Court TV Website
Cable’s Court TV takes on the McMartin case. The background information is very easy to read.
http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/1.html

Frontline: Innocence Lost the Plea
PBS Frontline produced a documentary detailing the Little Rascals Day Care Case in Edenton, NC. Explore the Frontline website by beginning with the summary and a brief chronology. Then go on to browse the roundtable discussion to read testimony from experts in law, child psychology, repressed memory, etc.

Warning: There is great information on this PBS website. But it’s a very upsetting topic and some of the content – particularly the trial transcripts – are very graphic. Be very cautious if you stray off the web quest.

Readings on the Believability of Children
Excerpts from the experts on how we can evaluate the testimony of children in difficult issues.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/innocence/readings/