Police are searching for a staff member at a Chester County residential treatment center who is accused of sexually assaulting a teen client.
Shakur Austin, 26, is wanted for numerous offenses, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, institutional sexual assault of a minor, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and indecent assault.
The investigation began on July 3, 2024, when a staff member at Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services in West Chester, Pennsylvania, contacted West Whiteland Township Police. The facility provides support for children, teenagers and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Staff members told police they were informed of a rumor that a Devereux employee – later identified as Austin – had sexually assaulted an underage female client.
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Devereux supervisors then checked surveillance video and spotted Austin receiving oral sex from a 14-year-old female client, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators said the caught-on-camera incident occurred on June 30, 2024.
Investigators then reached out to the teen girl’s mother who told police her daughter had been withdrawn and didn’t want to talk since being taken out of Devereux. The teen’s mother said her daughter told her Austin often bought her food and allowed her to use the phone at the facility to call family and friends, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators also said Austin was assigned to different buildings at the facility where the girl stayed and worked in the school the girl attended.
The victim had been admitted into Devereux in January 2024, according to investigators. Austin allegedly told the teen girl he would meet with her once she was discharged from the facility.
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“From what we understand, he may have used his position to groom the child prior to the assault,” West Whiteland Police Detective Michael Buchmann told NBC10. “Offenders will groom the children. Provide them gifts and services to offend on them. To make it easier to offend on them so they don’t tell anybody.”
Investigators obtained more surveillance footage of Austin sexually assaulting the teen girl, according to the criminal complaint. They then issued a warrant for Austin’s arrest and continue to search for him.
Police said Austin has ties to the Philadelphia area and parts of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, including King of Prussia. He is described as a man standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 170 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact West Whiteland Township Police.
A spokesperson for Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health also provided a statement on the allegations against Austin.
"Devereux does not tolerate abuse of any kind – by anyone,” the spokesperson wrote. “We identified and reported the alleged incident to the authorities and we are cooperating fully with the police investigation."
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.
