No background check done on sex offender

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By Brooke Kelley - bio | email

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - A registered sex offender is behind bars after authorities discovered he was volunteering at summer camp for kids.

Edward Spencer was arrested at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference camp Wednesday afternoon.

See Convicted sex offender caught at camp.

"My heart dropped and I felt sick. I just, you think that you send your kids to a summer camp, something that's structured other than their school during the summer time and you expect them to be watched over," said Frances Mahdi whose children attended the SCLC camp.

Mahdi says she and her husband found Spencer's picture on the Chatham County Sheriff's Department sex offender website and immediately recognized him as someone they had seen working at the camp.

She says when she told the organization, they were shocked.

"Of course they wanted to jump immediately because anybody that's on the sex offender registry, they're not supposed to be in contact, let alone in any type of situation, where children are around," said Mahdi.

The Chatham County Sheriff's Department arrested Spencer who has multiple sex offense convictions including the most recent in 2007 for sexual exploitation of a child.

We went to the SCLC today for an announced about a conference they'll be holding in October. But when we asked them about Spencer and his arrest Wednesday, they gave no comment and directed us to their legal council.

"I appreciate and understand your concerns and they will and should be answered," said John Guillory, board chairman of SCLC.

"It's an unfortunate event and we'll do anything in our power to ensure the safety of the kids in the summer programs," said SCLC's council Dexter Wimbish.

He also said that Spencer was, "a volunteer and not involved with the summer program" despite Spencer's title on their website as chief of staff.

When we asked whether or not Spencer had to pass a background check, Wimbish told us they do conduct background checks on employees but not on volunteers.

"In the future, we will develop tougher rules to make sure young people are in a safe environment," Wimbish told us.

But for parents like Mahdi, that's not good enough. She says her children are no longer enrolled at the SCLC camp.

Spencer is a level three sex offender and has been charged with being around children, which is a violation.

Savannah-Chatham police tell us they are working with camp organizers to see if there were any incidents at the camp that would warrant more charges.

Police say if the children have any questions, their parents should call the Child Advocacy Center at 912.236.7884 or the police department's Special Victims Unit at 912.651.6742.