Child Counselor Accused of Raping Boy

(Kingston, New York) A 41-year-old female counselor at the Children's Home of Kingston, Cathy Jones, was arrested last Thursday for allegedly raping a 17-year-old boy who resides at the home.

According to Kingston Police Detective Lt. Timothy Matthews, even though the boy can legally consent and the sexual intercourse was consensual, Jones was charged with rape because of her position of authority over the boy.

Matthews said an investigation began about 1 p.m. Thursday, when police were told that several boys had gone missing from the home, which is on Grove Street in the city’s Ponckhockie neighborhood, and that at least one of them had a gun.

Officers ultimately found all the boys, including the 17-year-old and a 15-year-old he was with in the area of Murray Street and Delaware Avenue, Matthews said.

Matthews said the two were questioned about the gun and that the boys told police it was nearby and brought them to it.

Matthews said police found a loaded 9mm handgun stuffed under some leaves near a rock, and that it was loaded with 11 bullets in a clip.

The younger boy told police he had stolen it from an apartment at Springbook Village, Matthews said; that apartment turned out to be Jones’.

Matthews said the 15-year-old took the gun from the apartment sometime Wednesday evening and then left. The 17-year-old stayed behind and had sex with Jones, the police official said.

After arraignment on Friday, Jones was released on her own recognizance.