Little Rascals day care sexual abuse trial

The Little Rascals Day Care Center was a day care in Edenton, North Carolina, where, from 1989 to 1995, there were arrests, charges and trials of seven people associated with the day care center, including the owner-operators, Bob and Betsy Kelly. In retrospect, the case reflected day care sex abuse hysteria, including allegations of satanic ritual abuse. The testimony of the children was coached.

In January 1989, allegations were made by a woman that Bob Kelly had sexually abused her child. After investigation by a police officer and social worker, the conclusion was the allegations were valid and parents were urged by the authorities to have their children evaluated for abuse. A total of 90 children, after many therapy sessions (in some cases as much as ten months' worth), also made allegations resulting in accusations against dozens of people besides Kelly and charges against seven adults (Bob and Betsy Kelly, three workers at the day care, a worker at a local Head Start facility, and the son of a judge). The charges ultimately included rape, sodomy and fellatio, and publicized allegations included the murder of babies, torture and being thrown into a school of sharks.

During the trial, children were asked to testify about events that had occurred three years previously, with memories "refreshed" by therapy sessions, meetings with the prosecution and repeated discussions with their parents. While the alleged abuse was occurring, no parents noticed anything unusual about their children's behavior to indicate abuse or torture. The eight-month trial against Bob Kelly was the most expensive in North Carolina history, ending in conviction on 99 of 100 charges and twelve consecutive life sentences. On May 2, 1995, all convictions were reversed by the Court of Appeals. The remaining six defendants were charged with a mixture of charges ending in a variety of sentences from life imprisonment to seven years.^[1][2]