'They were like angels,' mom says of BACA bikers

Loreen Ellis turned to Bikers Against Child Abuse several years ago when therapy didn't seem to be doing much for her abused son.

"They were like angels sent from above," she said.

Although her then 9-year-old son was a little scared of the rough-looking bikers, he warmed up to them. They accompanied him to court and parole hearings, and she expects they'll be there for an upcoming hearing.

Having BACA around, Ellis said, put the family at ease knowing it "has someone there to back us up all the way."

But BACA intervention isn't right for every child, said Laura Blanchard, director of the Utah County Children's Justice Center.

"For some children, not all, it probably does help them to feel more protected and empowered in that (court) process," she said.

Bikers must be careful to not overwhelm children, Blanchard said. "I think it's something that could be frightening to a child if not done carefully."

Children's Justice Centers are part of the Utah Attorney General's Office. They provide a safe place for child victims to be interviewed. They help coordinate investigations and prosecutions of child sex abuse cases. They also offer referral services to victims' families.

Confidentiality laws prevent the centers from making referrals to BACA, and a half dozen contacted by the Deseret Morning News said they strictly adhere to the policy.

BACA founder JP Lilly said the organization does not seek out children but that parents must come to them. Several parents said their abuse child's therapist suggested they call BACA.

The Salt Lake South Valley Children's Justice Center used to work with the biker group in its early days but not anymore. Director Susanne Mitchell said the relationship could compromise its neutrality. The center's role, she said, is to protect children as well as those falsely accused of abuse.

"I hate to see a child's case become part of somebody's soapbox," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said BACA has been disruptive in some cases. While she supports the idea of bikers attending court hearings with children, she doesn't like some of their tactics.

"To use intimidation and veiled threats, that's not fair to anybody," she said.

Ellis said she couldn't ask for a better group of people to be around her family. She scoffs at some critics' suggestion that BACA is a bunch of thugs.