MK forum

As we try to piece together developments over the past several months, and how the posts of the past few days relate to it all, I thought it might be helpful to construct a sort of timeline for the Panama investigation, as I understand it. No doubt there have been many things going on behind the scenes that few of us know about. But here are some things I think I do know:

Dec. 15, 2011 - The investigation into MK abuse in NTM-Panama began. IHART, under the direction of Pat Hendrix, contracted with Professional Investigators International ( http://www.teampii.com/ ) to conduct this investigation. (Other investigations in E Brazil and Bolivia have been/are being conducted by other groups of investigators.)

May 28, 2014 - Pat Hendrix announced, "The Panama investigation is completed and the final report has been written and sent to IHART by the Panama investigative team. The report will be presented to the board at the next meeting in July. The report will be sent to them in July. The Recommendations Panel is being formed and will meet sometime after the board meeting."

July 21 or 22, 2014 - Panama MKs sent a letter to the NTM Executive Board, clearly expressing the way they would like to see the investigation concluded. (See threewillows' July 22 post in this thread.)

July 29, 2014 - According to the recent statement from Pii posted here a couple of days ago, this is the date on which Pii completed their part of the investigation. Pii also says that they were instructed to send all of their "highly confidential materials", "documents collected, recordings of interviews conducted, transcripts of interviews, work product and reports in various formats (coded and otherwise) ... in a sealed format to Gammon & Grange, P.C.." Presumably they would have done this sometime around the conclusion of their investigation?

Sept. 5, 2014 - The Panama MKs received a response from the NTM EB, inviting them to come to Sanford for a meeting.

Sept. 30, 2014 - A Recommendations Panel formed by Pat Hendrix met to go over the report from Pii, which the NTM EB had received in July. (We now know, from Pii's recent statement, that that report is 1,075 pages long.) Presumably, the Recommendations Panel then submitted recommendations to the EB, just as the panel for the Vianopolis investigation did.

Nov. 1-2, 2014 - A group of Panama MKs met in Sanford, FL with NTM leaders.

Nov. 6, 2014 - NTM sent out an announcement that Pat Hendrix would no longer be the coordinator of IHART, and that she was being replaced by Theresa Sidebotham.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE: UPDATE ON THE COMPLETED PANAMA INVESTIGATION FOR NEW TRIBES MISSION

December 15, 2014

On the third anniversary date of the Panama investigation, an update to concerned parties is in order. Additionally, recent blog posts contain erroneous information which the Pii team believes must be corrected. The Panama Investigation began on December 15, 2011, and was completed on July 29, 2014.

With the completion of the investigation, this anniversary, and blog posts in error, Pii would like to update all of those who have participated in, or are interested in, the independent and thorough investigation into abuse at the Panama school, Escuela Hogar Misionero. This update is to acknowledge the trust these individuals have developed with Pii through the investigative process. Their testimonies and insights have brought elements of transparency and clarity, which would not have been possible if the work had been truncated at any time. Pii has been both determined and diligent in its investigative processes.

The document collection process, which included collecting, collating, binding, creating detailed indexes and researching those documents for the Panama report resulted in four volumes totaling 1,678 pages. Interviews of potential victim/survivors, collateral witnesses, and leadership resulted in 475 hours of interviews and thousands of pages of investigative documents; 261 people were interviewed, declined or were deceased of an interview pool of 488. The Standard Deviation is 95%, plus or minus 5%, for a 90-100% Level of Confidence in the report findings. The intricate report-writing phase is a process that intertwined these statements and documents, which were then weighted against the Preponderance of Evidence standard. When the report-writing phase was completed, there were several lengthy individual reports and the Master Report, totaling 1,075 pages. This process was driven by the responsibility to show respect to all who have taken part in the investigation.

All of these materials, documents collected, recordings of interviews conducted, transcripts of interviews, work product and reports in various formats (coded and otherwise) were forwarded to IHART c/o Ms. Theresa Sidebotham. Pii had previously been instructed to send these highly confidential materials in a sealed format to Gammon & Grange, P.C. Pii was re-directed to send these materials to IHART, c/o Ms. Theresa Sidebotham, at her instruction, perhaps to be forwarded to Gammon & Grange, P.C. This is unknown to Pii. There are statements on the fandaeagles.com blog site, attributed to Ms. Sidebotham, stating that these raw documents are actually not in her possession, nor in the possession of NTM. Considering that timing might, herein, be the issue, Pii is clarifying the details of the matter as known to Pii.

To NTM, victim/survivors, family and friends, the investigative process is demanding and exacting. Each investigative decision was made expediently and consistently with the intent of reaching the investigation’s conclusion in an opportune manner. To all of those who have participated in this investigation in any way, your patience and perseverance is applauded and your cooperation is deeply appreciated. Pii is humbled and grateful to have been chosen to conduct this complicated, sensitive, and detailed work. Pii is also committed to assist NTM and all participants in whatever delicate tasks remain ahead.

We wish you joy and rejoicing in this Season of Healing. Merry Christmas!

Professional Investigators International

From the IHART website. (Underlining added.)

http://www.ihart.care/progress.html

"Pii finished the initial part of the Panama investigation in July of 2014. The Recommendations Panel then met in October. That Panel finalized recommended outcomes for the portion of the investigation that was presented to them but unfortunately the leadership culpability portion of the Panama investigation had not yet been done.

The following month, IHART transitioned to the new IHART Coordinator, Ms. Sidebotham. She is in the process of coordinating the leadership culpability stage of the Panama investigation and also will be coordinating Statements of Findings and a Summary Report for that investigation."

Have New Tribes members been notified of this significant change?