A grand jury met in Lackawanna County as part of an on-going investigation into whether up to a dozen foreign exchange students were mistreated. Some were allegedly made to live in filthy conditions.
Several foreign exchange students testified Thursday before a grand jury.
One student talked said he was aware of some of the alleged problems. The student from Denmark said he knew other students may have been in bad situations with their host families in our area.
"I knew there were some kids living alone, two kids living in an apartment alone," said exchange student Nicklas Schreyer.
He also claims the same agency that brought him to America, the Aspect Foundation, didn't help him.
"I didn't have any privacy at all. I didn't have my own space," Schreyer added. "I didn't get help to move from Aspect. It was all something we did ourselves."
The investigation started when city officials were called to a house on Myrtle Street in Scranton.
They said the home's owner was also the local manager of the Aspect Foundation based in San Francisco. Officials report the home was filled with dog feces.
The filthy home tipped investigators to a bigger issue, that there were more students possibly being neglected in other homes in Lackawanna County.
Officials said the students are high schoolers between 15 and 18 from Nigeria, Denmark, Vietnam, Norway, France and Colombia.
Nicklas Schreyer now attends Pittston Area High School and is staying with a different family in Duryea.
All of the students placed in suspect homes by the Aspect Foundation have been placed in new homes.
Calls to the Aspect Foundation were not returned.
Lackawanna County's district attorney said the investigation continues.
Several foreign exchange students testified Thursday before a grand jury.
One student talked said he was aware of some of the alleged problems. The student from Denmark said he knew other students may have been in bad situations with their host families in our area.
"I knew there were some kids living alone, two kids living in an apartment alone," said exchange student Nicklas Schreyer.
He also claims the same agency that brought him to America, the Aspect Foundation, didn't help him.
"I didn't have any privacy at all. I didn't have my own space," Schreyer added. "I didn't get help to move from Aspect. It was all something we did ourselves."
The investigation started when city officials were called to a house on Myrtle Street in Scranton.
They said the home's owner was also the local manager of the Aspect Foundation based in San Francisco. Officials report the home was filled with dog feces.
The filthy home tipped investigators to a bigger issue, that there were more students possibly being neglected in other homes in Lackawanna County.
Officials said the students are high schoolers between 15 and 18 from Nigeria, Denmark, Vietnam, Norway, France and Colombia.
Nicklas Schreyer now attends Pittston Area High School and is staying with a different family in Duryea.
All of the students placed in suspect homes by the Aspect Foundation have been placed in new homes.
Calls to the Aspect Foundation were not returned.
Lackawanna County's district attorney said the investigation continues.
