WEST BEND, Wis. — Parents and community members are expressing shock and demanding answers after a man living at a West Bend Girl Scout camp was charged with multiple felonies for possessing guns and drugs.
According to a criminal complaint, deputies searched a home located at Camp Silver Brook after receiving a domestic call about Paul Henry David. He is now charged with multiple felonies for firearm and drug possession.
Brittany Bronkhorst, a West Bend mother of three daughters, said the news is upsetting and has changed her plans to send her children to the camp. One of her daughters has been to Camp Silver Brook, and another was scheduled to go this year, but Bronkhorst is no longer allowing it, and the West Bend School District discontinued its plans to send kids there.
Watch: Community members want answers after a man living at a Girl Scout camp faces gun and drug charges
"You think that your kids are going to be safe going," Bronkhorst said. "The next thing you know, there is a felon that has open firearms and a drug operation in essentially a Girl Scout camp."
"It’s kind of a scary thing," she said. "It really comes down to why wasn’t a background check done on this person. If it was, then why was a felon allowed to be within so many feet of children?"
Bronkhorst questions how the situation was allowed to happen so close to where children gather.
"It’s hard raising kids to be independent," she said. "But then also you’re like, ‘Hey! I don’t want you going here because I don’t know what’s going on.’ Sleepovers are very limited now."
While several neighbors declined to speak on camera, viewer Jessica Frederick, who has been to the camp, messaged Washington County reporter Marcus Aarsvold to defend the camp's leadership.
"The woman who runs the camp is amazing," she said. "Her husband was never involved with camp."
Aarsvold knocked on the door of the resident, whose corporate staff and neighbors said was the camp director. She declined to speak on camera but said there is more to the story.
TMJ4 brought Bronkhorst's questions to Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast Chief Executive Officer Ana Simpson, who agreed to provide written statements. Simpson said the organization did a background check on David and performed a routine search of the home three months ago.
"That’s part of the process of our investigation at this time, just figuring out when the last background check was done," she said. "I don’t have a specific date to share with you at this time."
Simpson said she is not allowed to share more information yet because it is part of their active investigation.
The camp's marketing director said the camp remains open, is increasing security, and plans to perform background checks more frequently.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
