A man whose job was to help adults with disabilities is accused of raping and impregnating two clients in Fairfax County, Virginia.
In one case, the woman was unable to say who assaulted her. In the second case, the woman identified 60-year-old Bernard Betts-King as her attacker.
DNA tests conducted on the second victim's baby show a 99 percent chance that Betts-King is the father, court documents say. Fairfax County police believe he fathered the child of the first victim as well.
Both women, who police did not identify, were clients of MLVE Community Center in Springfield, Virginia. The organization provides therapeutic and work opportunities to disabled adults. Betts-King worked with both women in his position as a behavioral specialist, police said.
Signs of trouble first surfaced in October 2017, newly filed court documents reveal. The family of the first alleged victim discovered she was five months pregnant and notified police. The intellectually disabled woman, who is of Korean descent, gave birth in February 2018 to a biracial baby.
When she was asked who raped her, she said, "I don't know," court documents say.
In November 2018, nearly a year after police and MLVE were notified of the first rape case, the pattern was repeated: Another disabled woman in the program gave birth.
Police say they learned of that case in January 2019. This time, investigators say the victim was able to tell them that Betts-King raped her. And DNA tests show with near certainty that he is the father.
So, if police and MLVE knew about the first woman's rape in October 2017, how was Betts-King able to allegedly strike again?
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Fairfax County police said that because of a lack of information from the first victim, they had to consider as suspects all males with whom she had contact. They said they were not in a position to test the DNA of the first victim's baby because they had not yet narrowed the list of suspects.
It wasn't until they learned of the second alleged victim that they made the connection to Betts-King.
He was charged with rape and is being held without bond at the county jail. It was unclear if he had a lawyer who could comment on the cases.
It's possible that Betts-King had additional victims, police said. He also worked for the organization Community Living Alternatives, in Fairfax, Virginia. Anyone with information is asked to call 703-246-7800.
MLVE previously said the organization is cooperating with police, and that it no longer employs Betts-King. Executive Director Susan Keenan said their staff is shocked.
"We are focused entirely on making sure that our individuals are safe and healthy right now," she said earlier this month.
