Staff member at Nexus Gerard campus sexually abused 3 vulnerable teens, state investigators found

Staff member at Nexus Gerard campus sexually abused 3 vulnerable teens, state investigators found Eric Rasmussen & Morgan Reddekopp KSTP The Minnesota Department of Human Services determined that a staff member at Nexus Family Healing’s Gerard campus sexually abused three teenagers. The abuse at the psychiatric treatment facility in Austin happened over several months between October 2025 and February 2026, according to a DHS maltreatment report issued Nov. 5. One of the teens told investigators the abuse happened “at least, if not over, 50 times.” The DHS investigator reached out to local law enforcement about the reported abuse and was told that police received multiple reports about the allegations but didn’t investigate further. A captain with the Austin Police Department told 5 INVESTIGATES he was “not aware of any formal request” to assist the state with its investigation. The maltreatment report said the staff member in question no longer works at Nexus, but previously had multiple incidents of “corrective action” regarding “poor boundaries” with the youth before state investigators confirmed the sexual abuse. In a statement to 5 INVESTIGATES, a spokesperson for Nexus said, “The behavior of this former employee is appalling and intolerable. The care and safety of the young people we serve are paramount and we are deeply dismayed that a former employee could not be trusted.” Nexus added that there has been a “change of leadership and staffing” in the unit involved, as well as restructuring of the program and a reduced number of clients. None of the changes included executive director Karen Wolf, though Nexus confirmed she announced her resignation Tuesday to take another position out of state to be closer to her family. Wolf will be with Nexus until mid-December and a search for her successor is underway. 5 INVESTIGATES previously reviewed dozens of maltreatment reports at children’s residential treatment facilities across the state, including several Nexus-run facilities. RELATED: Reports of abuse, neglect linked to taxpayer-funded nonprofit serving Minnesota kids DHS found multiple instances where maltreatment occurred at Nexus facilities in East Bethel, Mille Lacs and Gerard since 2022. The confirmed maltreatment ranged from neglect to physical or sexual abuse. In May, the state briefly suspended Nexus East Bethel’s license, citing an “imminent risk of harm” to residents, but later removed the suspension as part of a settlement agreement with the nonprofit. Nexus leaders say the problems at East Bethel have been resolved and they plan to bring youth back in 2027. RELATED: City administrator says youth psychiatric facility under DHS investigation called 911 nearly 200 times in 1 year DHS said that licensors will visit the East Bethel facility before it reopens to make sure it has made the improvements specified in the settlement agreement. The state has not taken any licensing action against Nexus Gerard. One of the largest operators of residential treatment centers for children, Nexus Family Healing has annual revenues around $100 million, according to the nonprofit’s 2024 IRS filing, its most recent report available to the public. The Nexus Gerard campus alone has received over $2.6 million in state and county funding since 2022.