SANDUSKY, Ohio — Elected leaders are calling on Cedar Point to investigate and enact change following a joint investigation by 10 Investigates and our sister stations WTOL in Toledo and WKYC in Cleveland which revealed a history of reported sexual assaults tied to the employee dorms at the amusement park.
Cedar Point, which is set to open Saturday, has not responded to additional requests for comment Friday or interview requests since providing its original statement last week, which said in part that it “takes these matters very seriously.”
The women who have come forward allege they were victimized while living and working at the amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. The women told us they felt let down by the lack of response and resources made available by the amusement park following the incidents of alleged sexual violence.
Of the 27 reported incidents, two men have been charged with sex crimes. Sandusky Police said in more than half of those reported incidents, the women stopped cooperating with authorities.
ORIGINAL 10 INVESTIGATES REPORT: Cedar Point’s dark side: A history of sexual assault inside employee dorms
Since our original report aired Wednesday, more people are coming forward and sharing their experiences.
Elected leaders are also weighing in.
In a letter drafted Friday, State Rep. Lisa Sobecki, D – Toledo, urged the theme park to investigate and wrote that "the allegations are deeply troubling" and "have revealed an unacceptable pattern.”
She added that while the company attracts young people from all across the globe "It does not absolve your company from any responsibility nor excuse inadequate action."
Attending a rally at a manufacturing facility in southern Ohio with President Biden, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, D- Ohio, told 10 Investigates:
“Cedar Point has a lot to answer to and they have to fix this,” Brown said. “They've certainly got to change their structure and they should have known better.”
Among the women who came forward was Kacie Wilson, who alleged that she was raped after falling asleep in a male colleague’s dorm room.
“And I am like a heavy sleeper. I don't wake up to alarm clocks or anything… and um… I woke up to him inside of me I pushed him away and I got up and I just left. And I didn't know what to do,” she said.
Wilson said her parents came to pick her up. She told Cedar Point she wasn’t coming back to work but said the amusement park offered no counseling or resources afterward. We heard a similar claim from Raven Jones, who made similar allegations against a different male employee.
She too says the park’s response fell short.
As part of collaborative reporting effort with WTOL and WKYC, 10 Investigates also received responses from Governor Mike DeWine, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley.
Whaley called the allegations “deeply disturbing and horrifying” and called on Cedar Point to conduct a full investigation.
DeWine said “reports of sexual assault are very serious and should always be treated as such. As a former county prosecutor and attorney general, I have worked with many victims of crime and know the importance of thorough, timely sexual assault investigations, which is why I created an initiative that analyzed thousands of previously untested rape kits to help get justice for survivors. We stand ready to help local law enforcement should they ask for help from the Department of Public Safety and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost provided this statement:
“These reports are deeply troubling. Criminal justice is no private matter. I have reached out and offered the services of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations and our Special Prosecutions Unit – but we have zero legal authority to act unless we are asked.”
WTOL, WKYC and 10 Investigates are continuing to report on this matter.
Cedar Point’s past statement on this was as follows:
“The safety of our guests and associates is always our top priority. Through a variety of methods, our on-site housing is monitored 24/7. In addition, our team is available to assist associates at any time with multiple resources, including on-site security, an emergency texting program, a dedicated and confidential associate “Speak-Up Hotline” and access to mental health programs. Associates are made aware of these resources during their onboarding process.
Cedar Point takes these matters very seriously. All reports of associate misconduct are immediately responded to, reviewed, and if appropriate, escalated to local law enforcement for further investigation.”
If you have information you’d like to share, please reach out to us at 10investigates@10tv.com.