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Campbell County Police Chief Keith Hill defended his detective’s actions. He said the home’s executive director, Barry Jones, who has since been fired, told the detective that staff members do not choke the children, that wrestling was not allowed and that the staff received training on how to properly restrain children.

Jones told the detective the allegations would be forwarded to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Hill said.

That didn’t happen, according to a spokeswoman for the cabinet. Beth Crace Fisher said there is no record of Jones notifying the agency of the allegations. The cabinet is responsible for regulating the facility and regularly placed the majority of the children at the home.

Jones’ attorney, Walter Hornbeck, said his client has been cooperating with the cabinet but said the cabinet was notified of the allegations. He said the home’s administration reported the allegation to the cabinet.

He said a cabinet worker came to the home and conducted an investigation and that documentation of this would be in the home’s files.

Campbell Lodge attorney, Ben Dusing, wouldn’t answer specific questions about the child’s allegations and resulting county police investigation.

“The lodge does, however, take a measure of comfort in the authorities’ formal finding that the allegations in that instance were found unsubstantiated,” Dusing said.

Branham’s boss, Alexandria Police Lt. George Schreiner, would not comment about the county investigation, but Branham said conditions at the home did not improve.

“My reporting the incident just made it 10 times worse on the kid,” Branham said. “I just know it did. In my heart, I just know it did.”

Branham decided to call Kentucky State Police when a second child came forward in February. That child told Branham about a male staff member who wrestled the children and tried to force two residents to kiss.

“We were not going down the same road again,” Branham said of the failure of county police to bring improvement. “We were going to do this one the right way. Someone was going to pay. These boys do not deserve this.”