LANSING, Mich — The Lansing neighborhood is reacting to the recent charges against old Zachary Whaley.
According to court documents, the alleged child abuse dates back to at least January. Authorities said they have probable cause to believe Whaley was sending inappropriate text messages to a young girl from North Carolina.
Court documents show the messages included Whaley sending the girl an inappropriate picture and then he asked her for pictures of herself.
“We were a healing community working to end child sexual abuse, launched in 2013, we sunset in 2024,” said The Firecracker Foundation Co-Founder Tashmica Torok.
Torok confirmed Whaley was a volunteer in the organization, which she says makes the situation of these charges even worse.
“He sat in circles with adult survivors,” Torok said.
Torok said the Fire Cracker Foundation cut ties with Whaley back in 2022 and while hearing about charges like these is never easy, something else is easy, supporting alleged victims who come forward.
“We can create a community where children and adults can say they have been hurt and we need to be believe them and take what they're saying serious,” Torok said.
Whaley, who pleaded not guilty, is due back in court on March 6. His attorney provided this statement staying “Mr. Whaley--just like every American--is cloaked with the presumption of innocence. He has full faith and confidence in the way that this will be handled in the justice system.”
