Third Scout joins Cheraw sexual abuse case
CHERAW — A third former Boy Scout has joined the civil lawsuit accusing former 4th Circuit Solicitor Jay Hodge and another man of sexually abusing them while they served as scoutmasters, the lawyer for the plaintiffs said Monday.
Attorney Trey Cockrell of Cockrell Law Firm in Chesterfield, who filed the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs two weeks ago, said the new alleged victim came forward after reading newspaper accounts and online accounts of the case this week. He currently lives in Horry County, but grew up in Cheraw.
The man, identified in court papers filed Friday as “Youth Male C,” is now 36 years old. That’s about 10 years younger than “Youth Male A,” or “Youth Male B.” The original defendants are brothers who recalled abuse by Hodge and William C. Hebard at separate times while they two men worked with scouts in Troop 663, sponsored by First Prebyterian Church of Cheraw. Those alleged acts took place between 1975-80. The new defendant said he was abused at Hodge’s house when he was 10 years old. That would suggest an incident occuring in 1986.
Hodge, who retired as solicitor in 2008 and still practices law in Chesterfield County, vehemently denied the original charges, calling them “lies” and sugges...
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director