In this audio, Elaine Pudlowski, the notorious guardian ad litem from St. Louis County, responds to sexual molestation allegations with disgust.
“Every time I went there and spent the night, he would stick his finger in my butt,” the girl’s mom, Caroline Van Den Bergh (Less), tells Pudlowski, quoting from an affidavit.
“It makes me feel sick. This whole thing makes me feel like vomiting.” Elaine responds.
“So, what we do about that, because clearly the child is not lying. Her story hasn’t changed. She’s now learning in school; I tell an adult.” Caroline responds.
Later on, Caroline says, “{Caroline’s daughter} disclosed to Caroline September 2016. I didn’t know what the hell was going on, what I did know was she wasn’t lying.”
Caroline ends the audio asking for supervised visitation of her ex-husband based on these disclosures.
Elaine would ultimately not agree to it.
Please take a look at the narrative of this case produced by Ann McGuire of Wings for Justice.
Caroline’s daughter disclosed sexual abuse numerous times, often in graphic detail.
Elaine a led an army of court appointees who thwarted ever disclosure.
What was in the podcast audio is not the only time Elaine maneuvered for more time for Caroline’s ex-husband in this case: ignoring the allegations of abuse.
“I’ve spoken with Children’s Division. Per the worker, he spoke with his supervisor who spoke with that supervisor and Children’s Division will be closing out this hotline as incident already investigated. The visits need to resume,” Elaine stated in an email on September 21, 2017, to others involved in the case.
Elaine insisted on continuing with unsupervised visits over the objection of court ordered therapists and psychologists.
“I have received a copy of the recommendations you have made to the judge for {Caroline’s daughter}. In regards to individual therapy for {Caroline’s daughter}, I would like to clarify that my suggestion that {Caroline’s daughter} work with a play/sand therapist was made under the premise that the visits with her father remain supervised.” Said a court appointed therapist in an email to Elaine and others on October 19, 2017.
Another therapist reported that Caroline’s daughter reported to her, “He {her dad} pulls my pants down and plays with my pookie.”
As a result this therapist noted, “After session, I called the child hotline to report her claim. Based on her claim, I do not believe that {Caroline’s daughter} should have unsupervised visits with her father until we can continue to investigate.”
The unsupervised visits continued.
“I am not OK with Caroline choosing a therapist without consulting Mel or informing her. Now there is going to be ANOTHER hotline call and I assume that {Caroline’s daughter} will be interviewed again. I have a real problem with this.” Elaine stated in an email from October 23, to lawyers on the case, after the hotline call was made, “I believe the judge needs to rule on the TRO before anyone, Mel or Caroline, make arrangement for {Caroline’s daughter} to see anyone.”
In March, Elaine pushed again for continued unsupervised visits. That email is below.
Caroline’s attorney even begged Elaine to hold off on supervised visits, “There are multiple therapists telling us that contact with Dad would be detrimental to {Caroline’s daughter}, and still {Caroline’s daughter} is forced to go.
Elaine wasn’t persuaded. Here is another email Elaine sent later in March 2018.
The visits continued and Caroline’s daughter continued to disclose, with each disclosure leading nowhere.
Currently the parties split the girl 50/50.
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Elaine Pudlowski Responds to More Sexual Abuse Allegations