CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater Police said Wednesday the department has reopened an investigation into foster parents who have been accused by numerous children of abuse dating back to the late 1990's.
Police said the case was reopened after additional people came forward and police needed to conduct additional interviews.
Jacklyn and Jerold Logemann were recently sued by a group of former foster children who stayed with the couple. The lawsuit described claims of mental, physical, and sexual abuse against boys under the care of the duo. Close to a dozen agencies that are tasked with keeping children safe are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
In January, Clearwater Police removed nine boys from that Clearwater home. However, the police investigation was closed last month when the chief said the department couldn't corroborate claims of criminal conduct.
In the nearly 700-page lawsuit, the children reported little to eat, manual labor from sun up to sun down, and what they thought was only happening to them, sexual abuse by their foster father.
A number of former foster children allege the foster father would take them to another house where they were sexually abused.
The plaintiff's attorney, Adam Hecht, said since ABC Action News reports and the spread of the allegations, an additional six men have come forward with reports of the same abuse at the hands of the Logemanns. As of Wednesday, Hecht said there are now 26 plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
Attorneys from Escobar and Associates were representing the couple but are no longer due to the lack of criminal charges.
ABC Action News spoke to Rick Escobar Wednesday. He said he believes the reopening of the case is another example of the allegers simply 'chasing a pot of gold'. Escobar said he is confident in the conclusion of their investigation.
DCF conducted an investigation of the couple, but attorneys for them said the DCF case has been closed.
Family Support Services are part of the lawsuit, but confirmed to ABC Action News the Logemann's are no longer foster parents.
"It is standard practice to restrict new placements in any foster home during pending investigations by the Department of Children and Families. The Logemann foster home license was scheduled to expire and they chose not to renew. As this family does not have an active license, they do not have children placed in their home. The Department of Children and Families is the regional licensing authority and is responsible for retaining foster care licensing records. Payment information made to foster parents is confidential pursuant to Chapter 39.202, Fla. Stat. We cannot comment on any active litigation."
