To the Editor:

This letter is specifically intended to address the following excerpt from the article "New York City Man Arrested On Eight Sex Charges" from March 18, 2016.

"The complainant reported to police that Madden, who worked as a theater coach/director at Sabrina's Encore Productions at 316 South Main Street (State Route 25), had contacted the complainant through social media on the Internet and engaged in an inappropriate conversation, police said."

I wholeheartedly support the freedom of press to report on this issue and I applaud the investigating officer(s) and especially the victims who found the strength to come forward.  However, the implication that Sabrina's Encore Productions (SEP) was in any way involved in the felonious behavior is com-pletely inaccurate and the inclusion of the name of the business is misleading.

My daughters, ages 11 and 9 have both been taking lessons at Sabrina's Encore Productions since summer 2012. SEP has become, in many ways, their second home. They have learned and grown and thrived there. They (and we) have made lasting friendships with people of all ages and have never been in a compromised position or in any way subject to inappropriate conduct. I entrust my children's lives to Sabrina and her staff (the people who actually work there) implicitly. NOTE: In all the many hours that my children spend at SEP weekly (between 4-10 hours/week, more in the summer), they literally saw the accused man only one time for two hours max and always in the presence of at least one other adult. Furthermore, upon learning of the charges, Sabrina acted quickly and professionally to ban the accused from her studio.

I feel compelled to write this letter because I have received numerous texts and emails and phone calls from my friends and neighbors, all of whom were concerned for my children's safety.  And, while it humbles me to know how many people care, it proved to me that the focus was on the wrong topic. By mentioning SEP, this article did more to potentially damage Sabrina's reputation than it did to fulfill its intent which I believe was to report the news, not provide sensationalist rhetoric.

Respectfully,

Kristen Powers

75 High Rock Road, Sandy Hook     March 30, 2016