A manager and three employees of a reception center for disabled children were tried on Thursday for having harassed Céline Boussié, a whistleblower who had denounced ill-treatment within the establishment located in the Gers.
The prosecutor requested against the deputy director of the Medical-educational Institute (IME) Moussaron six months suspended prison sentence, two months suspended prison sentences against two employees and a suspended fine for the fourth defendant.
In 2013, Céline Boussié, medico-psychological assistant of this IME located in Condom, in the Gers, had publicly revealed the ill-treatment inflicted on children residing in the center.
“I felt like a mop”
Friday before the criminal court of Auch, with tears in her eyes, she said she had thought of suicide when she discovered the existence of a page on the social network Facebook, called “Vérité Moussaron”. Personal documents of Céline Boussié were broadcast there, as well as offensive messages.
Aggressive remarks, punitive actions, favoritism at his expense. At the helm of the Auch Criminal Court, Céline Boussié detailed how she was morally harassed from 2013 to 2014, after denouncing dysfunctions within the structure.
“I felt like a mop. I was deprived of vacation by my management, I was told that if I continued to bring it back, and to ask questions, I was going to be fired, ”said this 45-year-old woman. “These are inappropriate comments and Madame Boussié faced a digital raid. The defendants used Facebook as a stress relief,” said the prosecutor.
Defense lawyers pleaded for release. The decision of the Auch Criminal Court was reserved for November 10.
Relaxed in 2017
A report broadcast on the show Restricted zone, on M6, had shown children tied up, beds too small, children locked up. Ms. Boussié had also denounced the confinement of a young girl for ten days, and the beating of children. Prosecuted in 2015 for defamation after denouncing in the media the conditions of reception of disabled children in the IME Moussaron, she was released in 2017.
In a report at the end of 2013, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) noted “serious dysfunctions” in the conditions of installation and operation” of this IME for children with severe disabilities and denounced “institutional violence”. The establishment was then placed under guardianship.