State-licensed facility worker accused of sexual assaults of 15-year-old

(FOX 2) - A state run facility worker is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl multiple times.

Shiree Ezell's 15-year-old daughter was just released from Vassar House - a state facility for troubled youth run by Wolverine Human Services in Tuscola County.

"(There are) probably other kids in there going through the same thing," said Ezell. "But my daughter was willing to step up and say something."

In November, Ezell says staff there called to tell her a woman who worked there had been molesting her daughter.

"This didn't just happen once," said attorney Jasmine Rand. "It happened on several occasions over quite an extended period of time."

"Vassar Residential completely failed my client's daughter," said attorney Maurice Davis.

The mom and her attorneys say they believe there may be more victims.

Wolverine Human Services released a statement saying they self-reported the incident and followed protocol alerting parents, police and the state.

They say the alleged perpetrator was terminated from Vassar House for unrelated reasons prior to the sexual assault allegations. also saying "We cannot comment on an active police investigation."

The victim's attorneys say that police investigation is taking way too long. But investigators in Tuscola County say a warrant has been issued for the suspect's arrest.

"This woman needs to be arrested and she needs to be held accountable and that needs to happen today," Rand said. "Because she is out there continuing to try to victimize my 15-year-old client and I'm sure she's doing it to other children."

Attorneys say the suspect has been messaging the alleged victim on Facebook.

"The day after my client got released, this adult woman who sexually abused her and molested her while she was in custody began contacting her again," Rand said.

All this came at a time when the state is under fire and conducting an investigation after police discovered teenage runaways from a facility in Detroit were abducted and found to be victims of human trafficking - just one month ago.

"When we have children in state custody, who the state is supposed to protect, they cannot allow our children to become the prey of these sexual predators," Rand said.

A spokesperson with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says "Protecting the safety and well-being of children is a top priority of the department. When alleged child abuse is reported to the department, we take it very seriously and investigate."

The complete statement from Wolverine Human Services said:

"Wolverine Human Services self-reported the incident and followed all necessary protocol including alerting the parents, local police and the state. The alleged perpetrator was terminated from Vassar House for unrelated reasons prior to any sexual assault allegations. We cannot comment on an active police investigation."