Palatine cops say keeping Skowron on was YMCA's call

The Palatine Police Department moved to distance itself Saturday from the Buehler YMCA's decision to keep swim instructor Kevin Skowron on staff in between the time he was first accused of child abuse and when he was formally charged and fired.

In November, Buehler YMCA Executive Director Laura Brown said authorities were immediately informed when the allegations first surfaced Oct. 16, but declined to comment on why it took until he was charged in late November to remove him as a swim instructor. He was initially suspended Oct. 17, but reinstated Oct. 25 when the first accuser could not identify her assailant in an independent YMCA investigation, as the police investigation was ongoing. Last week, YMCA spokeswoman Lee Concha suggested it was on the advice of police that they took no action.

"That never occurred," according to a formal release issued by the Palatine Police Department Saturday.

The release laid out a timeline stating that Skowron was first accused on Oct. 16, but the department wasn't informed until Oct. 20. Due to the sensitive nature of such interviews, it took until Nov. 7 for police to coordinate interviews with the victims and the Department of Children and Family Services, the Child Advocacy Center and state attorneys. Skowron was terminated Nov. 24, the day he was charged in court with sexually assaulting two young girls at the YMCA. Saturday's release insisted police gave no "guidance and counsel" that Skowron should be retained in the interim.

"We never issued any statement," said police Cmdr. Kurt Schroeder. "We never said it was OK for him to go back in the water."

The release stated, "This hypothesis defies logic, common sense and did not occur."

Concha replied Saturday, "We stand by our original statement."

Skowron, 22, was hit last week with additional charges of predatory criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He faces life in prison if convicted and is being held in Cook County Jail on a bail of $750,000. He next appears in court in Rolling Meadows on Feb. 13.