3 girls report abuse at St. Paul day care

Three girls from the same St. Paul day-care home told police they had been sexually assaulted by the day-care provider's husband, a man they knew as "Papa Gene" or "Grandpa Gene," according to charges filed Wednesday.

Gene A. Hegerman, 54, of St. Paul, faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, both felonies. A first-degree charge requires allegations that the suspect penetrated the victim.

Police suspect there are victims in addition to the 6-year-old and two 3-year-olds and are asking for them to come forward, spokesman Peter Panos said Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court, the mother of one of the 3-year-olds told police on Sept. 24 that she'd been giving her daughter a bath when the girl told her that "Papa Gene" had touched her private parts.

The mother identified "Papa Gene" as Hegerman and said he helps his wife, Linda, run a day care with about a dozen children at their home in the 1400 block of Iglehart Avenue.

The complaint said the girl told her mother that "she didn't think Papa Gene had touched anyone else because she is his favorite."

But the girl denied being touched by anyone when she was taken to the Midwest Children's Resource Center (MCRC), the charges said.

In mid-November, another couple told police that their 3-year-old daughter had told them, "My tushy hurts" and "Grampa did it," after she was picked up from the same day care, the complaint said. That girl told authorities at the MCRC that Hegerman had put his fingers "in there."

Police investigators took the case to the county attorney after the second incident, but there was not enough evidence to bring charges, Panos said. They did succeed, though, in closing the day care and taking away its license, he said.

Then, on Dec. 21, a 6-year-old girl told authorities that "Papa Gene" had touched her multiple times when she was 4 and 5 years old. The girl also said he had kissed her on the mouth and licked her ear, the complaint said.

Linda Hegerman told police that the children call her husband "Papa Gene," but she denied that he was ever alone with the 3-year-old and 6-year-old girls, the complaint said.

Hegerman's attorney refused to allow police to interview him a second time, the document said. The charges said a warrant has been issued for his arrest. A phone message left at the Hegermans' home was not returned Wednesday.