Foster mother accused of raping boy ‘hundreds of times’ to stand trial

A foster mother whose rape allegations were dismissed as “gossip” by local child advocacy agencies will stand trial on charges attesting she raped her foster son “hundreds of times” between 2009 and 2013.
Joelle Marie Barozzini, 46, of Greensburg was held for court on rape and related charges after a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge James Albert Thursday.
The alleged victim, who is now 24, told investigators the woman had sexual contact with him beginning when he was placed in her care at age 16. She reportedly told him “that he was only a high school student and she was a supervisor that made money, so no one would believe him if he told them about her conduct,” police wrote in court documents.
Court documents filed in her case May 23 indicated that a whistle-blower reported suspicions about an inappropriate relationship to an employee at Pressley Ridge, a child advocacy center that employed Barozzini to assign foster children and train parents. Pressley Ridge director Marnie Williams told investigators that the whistle-blower, a caseworker with Children & Youth Services, had made an “inappropriate comment” about Barozzini. She contacted then-Greene County CYS administrator Dee Dee Blosnich-Gooden, who sent the caseworker a written reprimand for “gossiping.” The agency continued to place foster children in Barozzini’s care. The whistle-blower was removed from the case and ordered to attend ethics training.
Blosnich-Gooden was the administrator for Washington County Children & Youth Services when charges were filed against Barozzini. Blosnich-Gooden submitted a letter of resignation with no reason given May 26, the day after the case made headlines.
The joint investigation between Pennsylvania State Police and Greensburg Police Department began in November when a state police trooper who had suspicions about Barozzini questioned him about the relationship.
The Herald-Standard does not identify those who allege they are victims of rape.
Barozzini was placed on administrative leave from Pressley Ridge after the agency was notified of the investigation. She no longer has foster children in her care.
Multiple witnesses, including former foster children and foster parents, told police they believed Barozzini was having sex with the teen. They reported she treated him like a boyfriend and frequently flirted with him and touched him inappropriately.
He told investigators she was very possessive of him and prevented him from having relationships at school. She even made a Facebook page under a fake name, which the boy said was a ruse she planned so he appeared to have a girlfriend in college.
He told police that if he refused sexual acts with Barozzini she would say he “didn’t love her.”
A caseworker told investigators she helped the boy move from Barozzini’s home in 2013. She said the woman “threw herself on the bed and began throwing a tantrum.” Barozzini later texted the caseworker saying, “You ruined my life,” according to court documents.
A police search of a cellphone indicated that in November 2015, Barozzini contacted the alleged victim’s father in an attempt to contact her former foster son. She told the father said she was emailing his son for a week and received no response. The father refused to tell her where his son was, saying he was with his girlfriend, court documents said.
Cindy Baker, a foster mother who was employed at Pressley Ridge with Barozzini, told police she was in a training session when the woman said she walked into her foster son’s room in her underwear during a fire drill. She said she thought this was “odd” because Barozzini would decide when to conduct the fire drill.
A foster child who was in Barozzini’s care at the same time as the alleged victim, Todd Passino, reported to police that he believed the woman was having sex with the teen. He contacted the detective after their first interview saying Barozzini called him trying to get information about the investigation. She said, “They’re trying to call me Sandusky,” according to court documents.
He said he hung up on her and blocked her number. He later went to work at Wendy’s and Barozzini appeared at the drive-thru yelling his name, police said.
She is charged with rape, institutional sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children and two counts of corruption of minors.
Her formal arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 6 before the Honorable John E. Blahovec.
Barozzini is free on a $50,000 bond. She was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim or witnesses.