Chalon: a director of a center for adolescents targeted by an investigation for violence against minors

A judicial investigation for violence against minors was opened Monday against the director of a reception center for adolescents in difficulty in Frontenaud (Saône-et-Loire).

“After examining the elements of the preliminary investigation, the prosecutor's office of the judicial court of Chalon-sur-Saône decided, on Monday, to open a judicial investigation against the director of the Les Bruyères center in Frontenaud (Jean-Claude Rossi, Editor's note ), and against X, for the counts of violence against minors and violence by person having authority ”, indicated Damien Savarzeix, public prosecutor in Chalon-sur-Saône.

An administrative closure canceled on appeal

The "place of life and reception", Les Bruyères, in charge of underage adolescents and young adults, had already been the subject of an administrative closure in October 2019, requested by the departmental council, after the anonymous letter from 'a runaway minor who denounced inappropriate behavior and practices.

Director Jean-Claude Rossi then appealed against this decision, which was overturned a month later.

And this for two reasons: the judicial report of the teenager had been closed in 2018;

in addition, the threat of a closure posed the risk of numerous economic layoffs, indicated France 3.

"Delusional" accusations

Jean-Claude has repeatedly protested strongly against the "delusional" accusations made against him and his center.

"The preliminary investigation was interested in the entire life of the center over a long period," the prosecution told AFP on Monday, without further details.

The Les Bruyères center is defined as a "non-traditional structure for the reception of adolescents […] whose visits to traditional structures have ended in failure", according to its website.

“The arrival of these young people in a non-traditional structure […] can prove to be constructive”, according to the center.