Staff Report
Carter County Times
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources have responded to a second request for comment on the allegations of physical and emotional abuse of campers at Camp Webb, noting they take all such allegations seriously, they are conducting an internal investigation, and that they have not yet been contacted by the Kentucky State Police.
“The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all campers attending conservation camp,” information office supervisor Lisa Jackson wrote in an email response to our requests for an update on the investigation.
“No one at the department has been contacted by Kentucky State Police regarding this matter, but we will cooperate fully with any investigation that may arise,” Jackson continued. “While we currently have no evidence to substantiate their claims, we respect the family’s concerns and their wishes to determine what may have caused bruises to their child. The department takes all concerns about its conservation camps seriously and is conducting an internal investigation into this matter at Camp Robert Webb in Carter County, where it has operated a summer conservation camp since 1969.”
Jackson then noted that safety was a top priority, and that this priority includes vetting all counselors as thoroughly as possible.
“The safety of children attending conservation camp is our first priority,” she wrote. “Camp staff receive training before camp season, and staff undergo state-approved and mandatory Child Abuse and Neglect training. Before a counselor is hired, background checks are conducted by the Cabinet for Health and Family Service and the Kentucky State Police.”
Calls and emails to the Kentucky State Police requesting comment on their investigation into the parent’s allegations were still unanswered at press time.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com