Investigation Shows Police Knew of Father's Alleged Abuse For Months

A Des Moines TV station is asking authorities why it took so long to file charges against a father, who at times lived in Merle Hay Mall with his family and was accused of sexual abuse by one of his children.

James Beaudrie, 36, was on April 19 after a two-week nationwide search. He was extradited to the Polk County Jail on May 6, where he remains on a $200,000 cash only bond facing charges of sexually abusing three of his nine children between October 2011 and February 2012. 

KCCI News Channel 8 searched court records in the case, which included allegations of sexual abuse, attempted rape and beatings at Merle Hay Mall where Beaudrie operated the Gamesip store.

Court documents show Des Moines police heard of Beaudrie's alleged abuse in October 2011 after one of his children ran away.

According to KCCI, a social worker reported the child had escaped a beating with a broom handle in the back of the Gamesip store and boarded a bus to Minnesota.

The TV station says:

"In March, Beaudrie pleaded guilty to simple assault in the case. A judge ordered him to pay a $65 fine and to take parenting classes. As he was in and out of Polk County court on that charge, Beaudrie was allegedly doing even worse things to three of his nine children.

"According to a police report, on Nov. 25, 2011, one child claims Beaudrie raped her at the Valley West Inn in West Des Moines where the family of 11 stayed in one room. The child sought help the next day at Merle Hay Mall.

“A security officer escorted the young woman to our security office and followed procedure and called the Des Moines police department. The Des Moines police department came and interviewed the young woman. It is our policy and procedure and is of the Des Moines police department that our security officers are not present during any interviews of any nature,” Merle Hay Mall spokeswoman Liz Holland told KCCI.

West Des Moines police were then alerted, as the incident occurred in that city and interviewed the child.

In a more recent report, KCCI found that on Jan. 30, 2012 the same child who was allegedly beaten reported an attempted rape.

Beaudrie's wife, Kijua, told police the child had mental problems, according to the KCCI report.