Parental Rights Restored To Couple

Thu., Dec. 21, 2000

From Staff

A Wenatchee couple whose sex-abuse convictions were overturned have had their parental rights restored to four of their five children.

Chelan County Juvenile Court Commissioner Bart Vandergrift restored parental rights Monday to Harold and Idella Everett for Donna, 16, and the couple’s 15-year-old twin sons, said state Department of Social and Health Services spokeswoman Kathy Spears.

In January, the Everetts won back custody of their daughter Melinda, 18.

Another son, Richard, 19, was adopted and lives in Wisconsin.

Donna Everett was the only family member at the closed court hearing. Neither she nor her attorney would comment about the case.

The state Court of Appeals threw out the Everetts’ child-rape and molestation convictions in 1998 because of irregularities in the child-sex investigations known as the Wenatchee sex rings cases.

Spears said DSHS employees will monitor the children’s living situation until the court ends their dependency, or they turn 18.

The couple’s two daughters, Melinda and Donna, were foster children of Wenatchee police Detective Bob Perez and his wife during the height of the two-year probe.

The two girls accused dozens of adults of molesting them and other children in sex orgies. Both girls have since recanted their allegations.

In October, the Everetts settled a civil rights lawsuit against the city for an undisclosed amount stemming from their arrests, prosecution and subsequent incarceration.

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