WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Teacher's Aide Accused of Molestation
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Burlington, Vermont - May 21, 2009
Douglas Cavett, 43, of Milton, pleaded not guilty Thursday to two counts of aggravated sexual assault.
Police say he molested a student more than 100 times in the early 1990s while working as a paraeducator at Hunt Middle school.
"Unfortunately this is just another example of someone in a position of power in our community who's violating kids trust," Chittenden County Prosecutor T.J. Donovan said.
Cavett was a teacher's aide at Hunt from 1992 to 1995 and worked as a substitute teacher in the district up until 2001.
The alleged victim says he first met Cavett at the school while experiencing troubles at home.
The two quickly became friends and the alleged victim and several other boys started attending parties at Cavett's house in Milton. Police say Cavett would supply alcohol and pot to the kids. The alleged victim told police he was eleven and drunk the first time Cavett molested him.
"He placed his trust in the defendant and he violated that trust and violated this man by sexually abusing him," Donovan said.
The alleged victim says the abuse continued for six years. He told police that he knows of at least one other boy who was also molested. Both boys came from troubled homes and looked upon Cavett as a father figure.
"There's potentially other victims out there," said Det. Tyler Kinney, of the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations. "We're just waiting for anyone with information to contact us."
Police searched Cavett's home and found letters from other former students accusing him of misconduct.
Police also believe Cavett had plans of opening his own school for troubled boys.
"That's what we heard. I don't know that it's a fact," Kinney said.
Burlington schools superintendent Jeanne Collins says the district was just notified of the charges. In a written statement Collins said, "I want to express my deepest concern and regret about this news... We will attempt to determine whether any of the activities alleged or referenced in the current charges involved Burlington students."
Cavett was convicted of a similar crime in 2005. He served 30 days for inappropriately touching a 17-year-old student.
And Hunt isn't the only school Cavett worked at. He also worked at the Hull Crest School in Burlington, which was a small, private high school.
Most recently, he was employed at Sports and Fitness Edge in South Burlington. We called there several times Thursday seeking a comment but our calls were not returned.
The alleged incidents first happened almost 20 years ago but weren't reported until this year. Often in cases with very young victims, they are too scared or ashamed to report the abuse. In this case, the alleged victim who is now an adult recently mentioned the abuse to an authority figure who then contacted police.
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
