SUN: What a background check can miss: Maryland opens child abuse records to youth sports

For years, Roberto Carlos Huezo Garcia coached children at schools and soccer programs across the Baltimore region.

Now he is accused of sexually abusing two boys. And charging documents in his criminal case describe multiple referrals to child welfare agencies in several states — records that exist outside the criminal justice system and wouldn’t necessarily surface in a standard criminal background check.

Starting Oct. 1, Maryland is giving youth sports programs access to some of that separate system when screening potential employees and volunteers.

A new state law will allow coaches, team administrators and managers to access certain child welfare records when deciding who should be allowed to work or volunteer with children — potentially revealing findings of abuse or neglect that never resulted in a criminal conviction.

But the law has significant limits.

An allegation remains off limits. So does an open investigation. Only a finalized finding of indicated child abuse or neglect can be disclosed. And youth organizations aren’t required to check the records at all.

That means the new system could reveal potentially disqualifying information that a criminal background check misses — while still leaving organizations unaware of allegations involving someone they are considering putting in charge of children.

Read the full story on The Baltimore Sun’s website.