Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks in rape case of former New Hampshire youth center worker

Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a former staffer at a youth detention center charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Tuesday’s ruling came after the jury said it was deadlocked in the first criminal trial linked to a sprawling child abuse scandal. Sixty-two-year-old Victor Malavet was one of nine men charged in the 5-year-old investigation into abuse allegations at the Sununu Youth Services Center. He worked at a separate state-run facility and was charged with 12 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault. Natasha Maunsell testified that Malavet frequently arranged to be alone with her in a candy storage room, the laundry room and other locations and repeatedly raped her.