Group home owner charged

Community Action, April 14, 2003

PETERBOROUGH -- Stephen Mitchell, the owner and executive director of Mitchell Group Homes, was charged by the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service, a group-home agency, with two counts of sexual assault.

A female group-home worker called police after two episodes of unwelcome sexual contact last fall. The employee no longer works for Mitchell Homes.

The private, for-profit agency has operated in Peterborough for more than a decade, and grew to 21 homes dealing with emotionally disturbed children aged 12 years and up, developmentally challenged children and adults, persons with brain injuries and other disabilities, young offenders and sex offenders referred by mental health and other social agencies. The homes have 40 residents.