YMCA president vows ‘to keep kids safe’ after employee’s arrest in child rape case

Still reeling from the arrest of an employee accused of raping a young girl at the downtown branch, the Greater Wichita YMCA’s top executive on Wednesday vowed to make whatever changes are necessary to ensure the safety of children.

Ronn McMahon repeated a word he has used often — heartbroken — as he fielded questions related to the arrest of Caleb Gaston, 21, last week in connection with an incident that happened Jan. 29.

“When something like this happens, we’re all heartbroken and yet redetermined to make sure that we continue to keep kids safe and that we help kids reach their full potential,” McMahon said of the 1,500 people who work for the Y. “That’s our mission. That’s not changing.”

McMahon said several times during the course of an interview with the Eagle that YMCA officials are fully cooperating with Wichita police in the investigation. Because the case is ongoing, McMahon said, he was limited in what he could say about the incident and Gaston.

He did say Gaston spent most of his tenure with the Y at the east branch before moving to the downtown location.

The Kid Zone features half walls and half doors so staff can keep an eye on children, McMahon said. That includes the bathroom.

The Greater Wichita YMCA is joining the national YMCA database, he said, which will allow staff to do daily checks of the national sex offender registry. Committees are being formed to “see if there’s anything else we can possibly do” to ensure the safety of children, he said.

“If we learn something we could have done different, we’re going to do it different,” McMahon said.

YMCA officials did not know Gaston had been fired from a job at Plymouth Learning Center last fall until church officials announced it after Gaston’s arrest last week, he said.

While there has been some anger expressed toward the YMCA, McMahon said, “we have been overwhelmed by confidence from our members and our families, frankly, which has been really welcome.

“Certainly, everyone struggles with the allegations. Everyone is praying for the family.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2018 at 5:11 PM with the headline "YMCA president vows ‘to keep kids safe’ after employee’s arrest in child rape case."