September 14, 2011

Registered sex offender addresses neighbors' concerns

9-14-2011 Michigan:

KINGSLEY -- A registered sex offender who moved in with a family that was awarded a Habitat For Humanity home is addressing neighbors concerns.

Timothy Edington lives in the Kingsley home that was finished by Habitat volunteers in June. He was convicted of two counts of 2nd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct in 2003, and served 6 years in prison.

The issue is, Habitat For Humanity didn't know he was going to be living at the home, and the organization says it wouldn't have awarded the family the home had they known.

Some neighbors are outraged.

In an email to 7&4 News Reporter, Lauren Amstutz, he wrote "The original application for the house was submitted by the homeowner long before i had met her... I understand that they are concerned about their children. Any sexual abuse is a horrendous offense. After 11 years, not a day goes by that I am not struck by the shame I feel for what I have done... I encourage my neighbors to talk with me. I will answer their questions."

Edington also stated that he is going through counseling, attending church, and taking other measures to make sure he doesn't commit another crime of this nature.

Edington is not breaking any laws the state has for sex offenders regarding where he lives. The Habitat home is more that the required 2,000 feet from a school or park, and Edington has an updated address on the on the state's sex offender registry.

Habitat For Humanity Executive Director Pam Doty-Nation says she plans to speak with the family. ..Source.. by Lauren Amstutz

2 comments:

Robin said...

So according to "Habitat for Humanity" anyone who makes a mistake anytime in their life and sincerely regrets that is no longer human and therefore does not deserve a habitat too. This family is not giving away their home to this registrant, they simply extended the same charity to him over his condition which had been extended to them in like christian fashon. He served his time as expectetd and was fairly released, and the neighbors and Habitat for Humanity cannot get over that. The neighbors will not talk to him about this because they are too comfortable in their pigeonhole logic, and they would not dare give up their hatred and ill-founded prejudice for a compromise based on logic and reason. The Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity should resign because she is completely unfit to operate an organization of this caliber. She is dragging it through the mud.

Anonymous said...

What's worse is that Habitat for Humanity has clearly stated that they won't help people based on their association with certain [class of] people. Shameful!