"COURT GIVES DSS CUSTODY OF MYERS' SON UNTIL APRIL"
daily hampshire Gazette - By Staff Writer - January 29, 2002
AMHERST - The 8-year-old son of former Amherst Regional High School principal Stephen Myers will remain in the custody of the state's child protection agency until at least April, according to an agency spokesman.
The ruling, made Monday in Franklin-Hampshire Juvenile Court in Greenfield, was the second involving custody of the boy. The first was made in the same court Thursday, a day after DSS removed the boy from the home he shared with Myers. In that hearing, the DSS was granted custody until Monday's hearing. Department of Social Services spokesman Michael MacCormack confirmed the court action Monday.
Another hearing will be held in April, although Myers' attorney, Matthew J. King, could request that it be held earlier.
MacCormack referred all questions regarding the case, other than Monday's decision by the court, to the Northwestern district attorney's office.
David Angier, first assistant district attorney, said an investigation is ongoing.
MacCormack said last week that DSS became concerned about the boy during its investigation of an incident involving Myers and a 15-year-old male student at the high school.
A letter from School Superintendent Gus Sayer to the mother of the 15-year-old student was discussed publicly at the Jan. 15 school committee meeting and led to Myers' resignation.
Sayer stated in the letter that had Myers acknowledged asking the boy to bare a nipple and inviting him to his house.
Myers' version of the incident was that he asked the boy to show him his chest because the boy was concerned that his breasts were too large. Myers denies inviting the boy to his home.
Sayer officially accepted Myers' resignation Jan. 23.
(This article was retrieved from the Archives at GazetteNet.com,)