Emergency Shelter Employee Charged With Sexually Assaulting Teen Girls
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A former employee at a local emergency shelter for teenage girls is facing charges of sexual assault.
Police are investigating two separate sexual assault-related incidents involving the former employee and female juveniles in his care at the Familylinks Youth Emergency Shelter.
According to the criminal complaint, 29-year-old Gerald Daniels, who worked as a counselor at the shelter, is accused of entering a female's bedroom and exposing himself while forcing her to watch and listen to a pornographic video on his cell phone.
Police say Daniels was the only staff member working in the home that night.
The teen told police Daniels allegedly shined a flashlight in her face at 2:30 a.m. and told her it was time wake up. Investigators say they also found Daniels' DNA on the bedroom carpet and plan to use it as evidence.
The Familylinks Emergency Shelter is funded by Allegheny County. It provides shelter and safety for teen girls after they are removed from their homes because their well-being is in danger or if they present a danger to themselves or others.
Police say in the second alleged incident Daniels is accused of exposing himself to a girl in a hallway of the shelter.
None of the alleged incidents were captured on video surveillance. The home has surveillance cameras in different areas which do show that Daniels was on duty that night.
Meanwhile, Familylinks Inc. has released a statement regarding the investigation. It reads in part:
"Familylinks is deeply concerned about allegations against a former employee of its Youth Emergency Shelter Program and has been fully cooperating with the investigation."
Click here to read the full statement.
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