Child Abuse Suspect Arrested

On September 10, 2021, Parsons Police Officers responded to the Youth Crisis Center (YCC) for a report of an employee abusing a child as he was working.

Officers arrived and gathered witness and victim statements about the incident. There was one juvenile victim that was 16 years of age. Officers were told that the employee, Michael Robert Olson 36 of Parsons, had grabbed a juvenile and forced him into a kitchen of YCC and battered him in front of another juvenile. Once the battery was done the victim went back into a sitting room where he was again grabbed and dragged by his hair into the kitchen and battered again, this time without a witness. The juvenile again was let go and joined others in the living area before he was assaulted a third time and forced into the kitchen and battered again. This time the battery took place in front of another employee. Officers were told that the victim was grabbed and dragged by his hair into a room without cameras before having his head beat into a table by Olson. Witnesses stated that the victim was also thrown into a refrigerator and thrown onto the floor. Michael was not at the scene at the time of the report.

Officers were able to watch video surveillance of the parts of the incident that took place in rooms with cameras, and witnesses were able to corroborate the victim's story as well.

Parsons Police Deputy Chief Dennis Dodd said, "this incident is totally uncalled for. YCC residents are primarily brought to them due to family trauma and displacement. These cases need to be handled with the assistance of counseling and therapy as well as a secure living environment. To be beaten by someone charged to care for you is the ultimate betrayal to these young men. That is a trust that may never be repaired."

Michael was arrested at his residence without incident. Parsons Police will be seeking charges for 3 counts of Aggravated Kidnapping, 3 Counts of Child Endangerment, 3 counts of Abuse of a Child, 2 counts of Aggravated Battery, and 1 count of Battery.

This continues to be an on-going investigation and citizens are encouraged to "See It, Hear It, Report It." If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or call the Tip Line at 421-7057 or email at tips@parsonspd.com.

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