A woman who said she was raped more than 100 times as a teenager in a group home is taking the state of New Hampshire to court, saying the state knew it was placing her in the care of a predator.News 9 does not normally report the names of sexual assault survivors, but Kristy Gesse said she wants everyone to know her story.Gesse said New Hampshire officials knew the group home it sent her to in the 1990s wasn’t safe, but the state maintains it can’t take responsibility for the actions of a private citizen at a private facility. Attorneys for Gesse said she was raped over 100 times by Peter Tsetsilas when the state placed her at a private group home he owned called Saddleback. They also said that the state knew he had a history of sexual abuse.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go <<“They knew, and they recklessly and wantonly did it anyway,” said attorney David Vicinanzo. “Instead of banning or locking up this predator, they sent Kristy to him to prey on.”When people at Saddleback caught onto the abuse, Tsetsilas hid Gesse in a south Concord motel for almost a month, her attorney said. She lost 20 pounds. “Tsetsilas had reported her as a ‘runaway,'” Vicinanzo said. “(The Division for Children, Youth and Families) in that entire 24 days never even looked for her.”On Monday, jurors toured Saddleback, which is now closed. Tsetsilas was convicted for the crimes against Gesse and has since died. Gesse is saying the state failed in her care and knew the dangers she was exposed to.The state acknowledges the sexual abuse she endured but said it is not responsible.”The evidence will show that (the Department of Health and Human Services) cannot be held liable for the intentional criminal conduct of a private citizen at a private facility more than three decades ago,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Samuel Garland.Testimony is set to continue Tuesday. A key witness who was also abused by Tsetsilas is expected to take the stand.
A woman who said she was raped more than 100 times as a teenager in a group home is taking the state of New Hampshire to court, saying the state knew it was placing her in the care of a predator.
News 9 does not normally report the names of sexual assault survivors, but Kristy Gesse said she wants everyone to know her story.
Gesse said New Hampshire officials knew the group home it sent her to in the 1990s wasn’t safe, but the state maintains it can’t take responsibility for the actions of a private citizen at a private facility.
Attorneys for Gesse said she was raped over 100 times by Peter Tsetsilas when the state placed her at a private group home he owned called Saddleback. They also said that the state knew he had a history of sexual abuse.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go <<
“They knew, and they recklessly and wantonly did it anyway,” said attorney David Vicinanzo. “Instead of banning or locking up this predator, they sent Kristy to him to prey on.”
When people at Saddleback caught onto the abuse, Tsetsilas hid Gesse in a south Concord motel for almost a month, her attorney said. She lost 20 pounds.
“Tsetsilas had reported her as a ‘runaway,'” Vicinanzo said. “(The Division for Children, Youth and Families) in that entire 24 days never even looked for her.”
On Monday, jurors toured Saddleback, which is now closed. Tsetsilas was convicted for the crimes against Gesse and has since died.
Gesse is saying the state failed in her care and knew the dangers she was exposed to.
The state acknowledges the sexual abuse she endured but said it is not responsible.
“The evidence will show that (the Department of Health and Human Services) cannot be held liable for the intentional criminal conduct of a private citizen at a private facility more than three decades ago,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Samuel Garland.
Testimony is set to continue Tuesday. A key witness who was also abused by Tsetsilas is expected to take the stand.
