Incidents at Boarding School Often Delayed, Sheriff Says

Lee County sheriff's records show that dozens of reports about runaways, assaults and suicide attempts by troubled teens at Midwest Academy in Keokuk often were not made until days after they occurred.

Sheriff Jim Sholl says that in some of the incidents, law enforcement was notified only after the state Human Services Department got involved. The Des Moines Register says (http://dmreg.co/1PTmNF3 ) most of the 73 reports released by the Lee County Sheriff's Office were not criminal in nature.

Officers raided the boarding school for troubled teenagers and a nearby treatment center on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 to investigate allegations that a staff member sexually assaulted a student. The facilities have since been closed.

Academy owner Ben Trane didn't immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press.