Rick Roeber, accused of child abuse, does not meet standards for the Missouri House
Let me be clear: I believe the children of Rick Roeber, and I believe that the egregious acts they describe should disqualify him from public service. This is not mudslinging. This is not politics as usual. This is about ensuring that the leaders of our state are morally and ethically able to protect the children and families they represent. Roeber, a candidate for the 34th District House seat in Missouri, does not meet that basic minimum qualification.
The allegations of Roeber seriously abusing two of his children sexually and physically, as reported by The Kansas City Star Editorial Board on Sept. 29, are graphic. There are documents from the early 2000s to back them up. The Missouri Department of Social Services’ Children’s Division substantiated the children’s claims while they were still in Roeber’s custody. After he appealed that decision and threatened action that would lead to significant legal costs, the children sought to be emancipated. A judge found their claims so legitimate that he set them legally free from their father’s care to end their suffering — which is not an easy thing to do in Missouri without very serious and credible allegations of abuse. The Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board later dismissed one of the accusations against Roeber, although the reasons for the dismissal are not clear.
Roeber’s children are not political operatives. They aren’t part of a campaign and they didn’t just bring this forward to affect an election. They went to court to get away from him even as children. They are now adults whose childhoods were taken from them by the person who was supposed to protect them. And when they learned of his attempt to get into the people’s house, they spoke up. They put their lives at risk and made their trauma public.
In Missouri, there were 5,465 substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect in 2018. Approximately 30% were cases of physical abuse and 25% were cases of sexual abuse. And approximately 60% of those who are sexually abused as children do not report it, according to 501(c)(3) nonprofit Missouri KidsFirst. I believe it is my job as a state representative to ensure that all children feel safe and protected in our state, so I immediately called for my Republican colleagues to denounce Roeber’s candidacy.
A bipartisan group including state Reps. Jerome Barnes, Ashley Jack Bondon, Ingrid Burnett, Shamed Dogan, Keri Ingle, Bill Kidd, Bland Manlove, Greg Razer, Rory Rowland, Joe Runions, Robert Sauls, Mark Sharp, Sheila Solon, Barbara Anne Washington, Yolanda Young and me, joined by state Sen. John Rizzo, signed a joint letter expressing our concerns. However, the Missouri Republican Party as a whole has continued to support Roeber’s candidacy.
To serve in the Missouri House of Representatives is an honor that so few people ever experience. We are tasked with spending taxpayer dollars morally and responsibly, creating laws that benefit our local communities and protect Missourians — 1.3 million of whom are children. We work on laws that make changes to reporting standards for child abuse and neglect. We choose to fund or not to fund investigators. We discuss funding for rape kits. Even the thought of having someone serving in the House whose own children have come forward so bravely is overwhelming. How can someone facing these credible allegations be tasked with protecting our children?
This isn’t partisan politics. This is preserving the honor that is supposed to be in our government. Before you cast your vote, I encourage you to read The Star’s editorial. Read the statements from Rick Roeber’s children. Is a candidate whose very own children said, “He made me place my hand on his genitals,” or, “He beat the s--t out of us all the time,” the kind of person you want protecting our children?
Crystal Quade is minority floor leader in the Missouri House of Representatives.
This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Rick Roeber, accused of child abuse, does not meet standards for the Missouri House."