Employee of a treatment center in Pennsylvania charged with assault on a juvenile patient

Authorities are searching for an employee at Devereux Pennsylvania Children's Services who is accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old patient.

Shakur Austin, 26, is wanted on a number of charges, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unauthorized contact with a minor, sexual assault of a minor, sexual abuse of a minor in an institution, enticement of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child and indecent touching, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Authorities began their investigation last month at the West Chester facility, which provides support to children, teens and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A staff member contacted West Whiteland Township police on July 3 and told them about a rumor that Austin had assaulted an underage patient.

When supervisors searched the surveillance videos, they later came across a clip that allegedly shows Austin performing oral sex on the teenager on June 30.

In a subsequent interview by investigators, the victim's mother said Austin often bought her daughter food and allowed her to use the facility's phone to call family and friends, the criminal complaint states.

“From what we understand, he may have taken advantage of his position to abuse the child prior to the assault,” West Whiteland Police Detective Michael Buchmann told NBC10.

“The perpetrators will manipulate the children,” he continued. “They offer them gifts and services to insult them. To make it easier to insult them so they don't tell anyone.”

During their investigation, authorities discovered additional footage of Austin attacking the teenager again and issued a warrant for his arrest.

The teenager was admitted in January 2024 but has since left the facility.

Police say Austin is approximately 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds. He is also described as having black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or the case is asked to call West Whiteland Township police.