Judge Stegner reinstated Katie Sitler as a chaperone effective immediately. The goal, as stated by Judge Stegner this morning, was eventual reunification of the family. It will not be accomplished immediately but will progressive — in “baby steps” — to use Judge Stegner’s unfortunate metaphor. Despite the headline, there’s this: “Stegner said during Wednesday’s hearing that reunification of the family should be the goal.” In the meantime he may not move back into the family home. We should have an audio recording of the hearing tomorrow. It’s approximately 90 minutes. It is especially important to hear the objections made by the defense against reinstating Mrs. Sitler as a chaperone. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson’s arguments against family reunification are critical to understanding the case.
Here’s this afternoon’s Daily News story:
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Judge denies Sitler’s reunification with family
By Garrett Cabeza, Daily News staff writer
Latah County 2nd Judicial District Court Judge John Stegner ruled Wednesday morning that convicted sex offender Steven Sitler will still not be allowed to reside with his family.
Sitler served one year with the Idaho Department of Corrections and less than a year in the custody of the Latah County Jail after he was sentenced to life in prison with retained jurisdiction in September 2006 after pleading guilty to lewd conduct with a child under 16 under a Rule 11 plea agreement with the state of Idaho.
Sitler was released from prison with a life term of probation. Sitler’s probation prohibits him from having contact with anyone under the age of 18.
Following his release, he married and had a child. He was removed from the home after admitting during a polygraph test last September to having “contact with his child that resulted in actual sexual stimulation.” At that point a judge ordered Sitler must have an approved chaperone within direct line-of-sight anytime he was with his child. Sitler has been living in a motel the past 11 months.
In addition to asking the court to allow Sitler to resume living with his wife, Katie Sitler, and the couple’s son, attorneys also asked that Katie Sitler and Dave Sitler, Steven Sitler’s father, be reinstated as approved chaperones for when Steven Sitler is visiting his child. Stegner reinstated Katie Sitler but denied Dave Sitler.
Both lost their statuses as chaperones after they failed to report incidents and disclosures involving Steven Sitler. Roxanne Sitler, Steven Sitler’s mother, was reinstated as an approved chaperone in January.
Stegner said during Wednesday’s hearing that reunification of the family should be the goal, and experts, including those at Valley Treatment Specialties and Dr. Gregory Wilson, said Katie Sitler should be allowed to be a chaperone.
Stegner said he denied Dave Sitler’s request to be a chaperone because he did not see evidence to approve him as a chaperone.
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HT: Lorno
“Reunification” of a fixated pedophile with his wife and very young son “should be the goal”. Swell idea. “Reunification” of the family (with no additional “temptations” added to the number of family members) is a wonderful idea. How about planning on making this happy reunion happen in, oh, around the year 2036?
What he said.^^ And more importantly, preferably after the kid is old enough to buy a handgun.
The safety plan is nothing short of madness. As the mother of a six year old and one year old, I can safely say there is simply no way she can keep one or the other in line of sight at all times. None! The only way this plan works is if Steven only visits Katie and Baby Boy or if there is another chaperone living in the house with them.
Even if by some strange miracle Katie managed to keep eyes on either her son or husband at all times, this plan is going to have to change drastically in a few years. This boy will not remain in diapers forever, so that means that a door will have to be hung. He is going to need some privacy for a bath or shower sooner or later as well as using the restroom. Stalls with doors are provided in public restrooms, I can’t imagine no door is going to work for CPS.
I realize the legal team and his parents are trying to make everything good for Steven Sitler. But what on earth are the therapists thinking? This is a recipe for serious burn out for Katie. Not to mention a seriously abnormal childhood for Baby Boy and not in a quirky, but fun way. In a way that means he will never be able to have friends over for whatever it is he and his friends would enjoy. No playdates for him and mommy friends for Katie (something all moms and especially sahms need). They know better than this and how on earth they can sleep at night knowing that they have their names on this farce of a safety plan is beyond me.
It was announced in court yesterday that Katie and Steven plan to home school their son and minimize his contact with the public due to the disdain (that was not the exact word used but it is correct in general feeling) the public of Moscow holds for Steven and now Katie Sitler. Mr. Thompson (our county prosecutor) immediately replied that that is exactly the kind of decision he (and the community) are worried about. My reaction to Mr. Thompson’s statement is this: isolation from the general population of a child whose father is a fixated pedophile may provide an opportunity to “normalize” what ever might be happening in the home. I can’t imagine any parent (including Kirkers) who will allow their children to be around Steven Siter unless they are also present, and why should they go on play dates with seven or eight year old kids? The vast majority of home school kids still have regular contact and experiences with lots of other people and kids. Apparently, this is not the future of the Sitler child. If this plan for educating their son is followed the life of this little boy will be narrow, warped, and unhealthy on many levels. And, Katie Sitler who clearly prefers Steven’s bent behavior over the well-being and healthy, wholesome development of her son is, in her own way, as toxic as her deeply flawed husband.
Rose Huskey
I homeschool and firmly believe that every parent should have the right to educate their children however they see fit. But this is madness! No child with a pedophile or other predator in their home should be homeschooled. That child should be in public or private school where someone can keep an eye on him. His father may be at work during the day, but he is still going to need to see normal families. He needs safe men in his life to pick up the slack since his grandfathers are clearly not going to do it. He also needs women that are respectable (you know, the kind who would not stand for this situation) so that he can relate to normal women. Is there anything that can be done to stop this?
I agree with Rita and I am sickened just thinking about this child’s isolation with the potential for more harm. I am a firm believer in parental rights, but this situation calls for intervention. May God help the young child.
I am utterly horrified. The failure on multiple levels to protect this child is astonishing. Judges, caseworkers, parents, church members, family members. . .NOBODY is protecting this baby.
Something has to give here. There has to be something that can be done to address this horror.
“Sitler’s probation prohibits him from having contact with anyone under the age of 18.”
How, then, can he ever be allowed to live with his young son? Isn’t that in violation of Sitler’s probation? Why isn’t the court enforcing his probation?
It’s a misstatement. He can be around children if he’s with a chaperone — and only if he’s with a chaperone. And given Judge Stegner’s trajectory, the word “chaperone” will soon mean “people who watch Sitler molest children.”
Thank you for the clarification.
Still, Sitler’s defense isn’t arguing that he’s no longer sexually stimulated by his infant son, are they? And the previous chaperones already proved themselves inadequate. This is another tragedy just waiting to happen, only this time Sitler’s son will be the victim.
Much thanks to you, Ulysses, and also to Rose Huskey, for keeping this in the spotlight.
Why on earth doesn’t the child’s mother divorce the pedophile husband and move away from this sordid mess? Can she really think the good Lord would want the child exposed to such wickedness? I’m sincerely praying she stops drinking the Kool-Aid and begins to do what is best for the child. May God have mercy.
Hi Angela — I know your questions are rhetorical but the answer needs to be stated for lurking kirkers. We believe they (Christ Church & her in-laws) have completely brainwashed her. She appears to be in that fearful state described by Paul: “without natural affection” (Rom. 1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3).
@BeenThereDoneThat: Very good point. No one, including Team Sitler, argues that Sitler is cured of his perversion. The safety plan is prima facie evidence that he is not cured and that he is a clear & present danger not just to his own child but to all children.
I don’t understand how Katie ever became a chaperone or has been reinstated as one now.
Surely the teachings of her church on male/female relationships should be enough to show that a woman in that church would NEVER be a safe bet to chaperone her own husband?
And whatever it is she failed to report, no matter how small, should show that she either doesn’t have the will or the ability (or both) to fulfill those duties at this time.
Sarah Anne, I think you’ve hit on the key point:
“Surely the teachings of her church on male/female relationships should be enough to show that a woman in that church would NEVER be a safe bet to chaperone her own husband?”
Compounding this, one would assume that Sitler is a master manipulator, quite adept at manipulating and controlling his wife.
What could possibly go wrong?
Is this judge just following the law? In my state, the goal is reunification and while I think there are some exemptions for pedophiles and the like, reunification is always the end goal. Is that what is happening here, ID just doesn’t have anything on the books to prevent this and Team Sitler is exploiting it for all it is worth?
@Rita: I am not aware of any controlling law at this point and I think we’re way past the law anyway. Eleven years ago Judge Stegner put Sitler on probation under the pretense that he (Sitler) could receive expert psychotherapy for his incurable condition — therapy that he could not receive in prison. And once Stegner bit the hook, Team Sitler has methodically reeled him in, one concession at a time — all based upon expert opinions. I understand that if he ultimately denies the expert opinions in this matter, no matter how crazy they sound, then Team Sitler could appeal him, which would pit Stegner’s decision (opinion) against the experts’ opinion and he would likely lose. This is why he harangued Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, asking, “Even though that’s contrary to what Valley Treatment Specialties is suggesting?” “What basis do you have to contradict the — I’ll characterize it as — the experts?” “So your personal concerns outweigh what the experts say?” (47:27) “If you had an expert voicing that view, that would be one thing. . .” (48:06)
Team Sitler has had this goal in mind since the beginning and it’s clear to me that once Sitler gains access to this child, he will father more children to press the Court even further. The experts call it “reunification”; Sitler thinks of it differently. He sees this child as his possession (according to his probation officers) and he may use him however he sees fit. And the experts will concur because daddy Sitler is paying the bill for these opinions. The whole thing is sickening.