Staff member at Austin children’s mental health treatment center sexually abused kids, state says
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Investigators with the Minnesota Department of Human Services said an employee at a children’s mental health treatment center in Austin sexually abused three teens.
The alleged sexual abuse occurred between October 2025 and February 2026 at Nexus Gerard Family Healing, which serves children ages 9-18 on a 12-acre property in southern Minnesota. The children were 14, 15 and 16 when they were admitted to the facility.
In addition, the same staff member accused of sexually abusing patients and another employee provided marijuana and vapes to nine children, according to the state’s maltreatment report.
“The behavior of this former employee is appalling and intolerable. The care and safety of the young people we serve are paramount and we are deeply dismayed that a former employee could not be trusted,” Tera Giardin, the marketing and communications director for Nexus Family Healing, said in a statement.
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Nexus, a $99 million nonprofit based in Plymouth, has seven sites licensed as child residential facilities by human services with varying levels of treatment across Minnesota and additional facilities in other states.
The state’s report said one of the victims brought their concerns to the facility’s nurse in February.
“We immediately reported the allegations and began our own investigation as well as fully cooperating with the state’s examination,” Giardin said. “By the time we learned of these allegations, this person’s employment had already been terminated.”
According to the report, one child estimated the staff member “engaged in sexual contact towards them at least, if not over, 50 times” and recalled the staff member sexually assaulting them multiple times in their bedroom, where there were no cameras. The staff member allegedly told the teen they had a “perfect body to be a stripper” and described possible scenarios where they could sexually assault other children at the facility.
The report said the staff member had sexual contact with another child in a gym closet and gave their phone to the child to take “nude photos” of themselves in the bathroom.
The state investigator assigned to the case contacted local law enforcement about the allegations and learned that law enforcement “had received multiple reports regarding the allegations but did not investigate further.” The report did not indicate which law enforcement agency state investigators contacted.
It’s not the first time Nexus’ mental health treatment centers for children have been investigated by the state for neglect.
Earlier this year, Nexus’ East Bethel facility received a temporary immediate suspension because allegations of suspected maltreatment were not reported “as required by mandated reporters” and children in the facility were at an imminent risk of harm. After a settlement agreement, the facility will be allowed to reopen.
Giardin said Nexus is redesigning programs at the East Bethel facility and plans to reopen it at the beginning of 2027.
According to a review of the state’s licensing database, Nexus sites licensed as child residential facilities have been investigated at least 20 times for possible maltreatment since 2024 by the Human Services department. In at least 12 of those investigations, at least one allegation of maltreatment was substantiated.
Giardin said Nexus has made “significant changes” in its organization over the last year in response to state investigations.
“In this situation, that commitment to continuous improvement led to a change of leadership and staffing in the unit involved, restructuring the program, including a temporary reduction in the number of clients,” Giardin said.
A 24-hour statewide sexual violence and domestic violence hotline is available in Minnesota. You can call Minnesota Day One at (866) 223-1111 or text (612) 399-9995.
