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Sexual abuse list keeps growing for local resident

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He seemed like the perfect neighbor - a successful businessman and dedicated volunteer - but Austin police now believe Grandview Hills resident Billy Dan Carroll, 53, is guilty of sexually abusing numerous children.

Carroll, is now in the Travis County Jail with more than $4 million bond, KXAN TV reported Tuesday. He is believed to have abused eight female victims, including six juveniles and two adults, and videotaped numerous illegal sexual acts.

He was arrested last week on one charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The Austin Police Department then obtained a search warrant for his home. The search reportedly uncovered a videotape with numerous recordings of sex with children and women who appeared to be unconscious. The children he abused reportedly ranged in age from 3 to 15. Police spent the rest of the week identifying additional victims before announcing more charges on Friday.

Carroll is currently charged with five counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of improper photography. More charges could be filed, according to APD. “There could be more victims we don't know about,” said APD spokesperson Rich Stresing. “There is an ongoing investigation.”

A volunteer with CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) of Travis County since 2004, Carroll worked with abused children, their families, teachers, physicians and the court. He was required to pass an extensive state and national background check.

Carroll's arrest has some parents thinking hard about protecting their children.

Captain Jeff Hayes of the Cedar Park Police Department said “stranger danger” tips are still good common sense advice. Examples include:

€ Avoid strangers, and teach children whom they should go to when they need help;

€ Always let your parents know where you are going and don't play in areas you are not familiar with;

€ Teach children what types of behavior are inappropriate from adults and peers;

€ Designate safe areas in your neighborhoods and point out potentially dangerous houses, parks or areas;

€ Let your kids know they can talk to you about anything - even sexual abuse;

€ Create a system so that your kids will never take a ride with a stranger claiming to be a friend of the family, and never get into any vehicle, unless your parents know and have said it's OK. Establish a code word that only the parent and child know.

€ Never enter any home without getting your parent's permission first;

€ Remember anything weird that an adult says or does to you and tell your parents immediately;

€ Run away from people who offer you candy or other treats, or who say they want you to help look for their lost puppy or kitten;

€ Scream, run and fight if anyone tries to grab you or make you go with them.

However, Hayes acknowledged there is no all-encompassing set of tips that would have prevented Carroll from abusing children.

“This case shows that databases and criminal history checks don't protect you,” said Travis County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Roger Wade, a former child abuse investigator. “You still have to be on the lookout for behavior and not just rely on background checks and databases.”

In fact, said Wade, between 70 percent and 90 percent of children under 6 who are abused are victims of people they know. “We should not just teach children about ‘stranger danger,' but teach about other things they should be looking out for,” he said. As a child abuse detective, Wade saw perpetrators from many different walks of life. “You can't just put a picture on a sex offender. You should teach children to look for bad behaviors. Usually it's somebody the child knows.”

At the same time, just because an adult chooses to work or volunteer with children does not mean they have bad intentions, Wade said. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that babysitters and childcare facilities allow parents to show up unannounced. “If a babysitter says you can't see or check on your children, that would be a red flag,” he said.

E-mail charles@hillcountrynews.com

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