The Fells Acres day care sexual abuse trial took place in the U.S. state of Massachusetts following charges initially lodged in the mid-1980s against family members who operated a day care center, Fells Acres Day School, in Malden, Massachusetts. The facility had been opened in 1966 by Violet Amirault (1923–1997). She and her two children—son Gerald Amirault (born 1954) and daughter Cheryl Amirault LeFave (born c. 1957)—were tried for sexual abusing children at their facility. Gerald was tried in 1986 while his sister and mother were tried in 1987. All three were convicted and sentenced to prison. The Amiraults deny the charges, which supporters regard as a conspicuous example of day-care sex-abuse hysteria. Violet and Cheryl were freed on appeal in 1995. Violet died in 1997. The appeal was ultimately denied, but Cheryl avoided a return to prison via a deal struck with prosecutors in October 1999. Gerald was released on parole in 2004. Their convictions have been strongly criticized, especially with regards to interviewing techniques that were used with the alleged victims. Accusations and investigation In 1984, a four-year-old student at the Fells Acres Day School wet himself while napping. Upon direction by the child's teacher, Gerald Amirault changed the boy into spare clothing. Later that year, the boy was discovered playing sexually-suggestive games with his cousin. Questioned about this by his mother and uncle, who himself had been molested as a child, the boy said that Amirault had sexually abused him. Soon thereafter, Amirault was arrested on charges of raping the boy. His arrest, and suspension of the facility's license by the state, were widely reported by the Associated Press and other wire services starting on September 13. The police called the parents of all the children to a meeting at the police station to discuss the situation. They were instructed to interview their children and to look for signs of sexual abuse. Examples of behaviors parents were told were symptomatic of abuse included bed wetting, changes in appetite and nightmares. The children were also questioned by the police, social workers, therapists, and others. Arrests and trial Eventually, Amirault was charged with molesting more children, and charges were brought against his mother, Violet Amirault, and sister, Cheryl Amirault LeFave. In 1986, Gerald Amirault was convicted of assaulting and raping nine children and sentenced to 30 to 40 years in prison. In 1987, in a separate trial, his mother