Woman Sexually Abused As Child Speaks Out After Rapist's Conviction

MONT CLARE, PA — This tiny Montgomery County town just over the Schuylkill River from Phoenixville was home to Richard Beener, Sr., who sexually abused his niece, Brittany Morgan, from the time the girl was 6 until she was 12 in the house he shared with his wife.

Earlier this month, Beener was found guilty on felony child rape counts during a bench trial before Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas Rogers.

Beener had previously pleaded guilty to the crimes, but then withdrew that plea and took his chances at trial. He was convicted by the end of the court proceedings.

Morgan, who is now 24 years old and who had testified during Beener's criminal trial, spoke exclusively to Patch about the years-long abuse she suffered at the hands of her uncle, who is married to her father's sister.

"It happened mostly every time I went over there," Morgan told Patch about the abuse.

Morgan said when she was young, Beener would babysit her while her father worked. Her mom was in jail at the time.

She went to Beener's house around four to five days a week, she said she recalled. And the molestation was near constant.

It wasn't until she was 21 years old and hanging out at a local bar in Phoenixville that she finally confronted Beener, who was also drinking in that same establishment on one fateful night.

"That's when I ran out," she recalled of her interaction with Beener all those years later after her abuse occurred.

Morgan said Beener called he over and touched her on her shoulder and she just saw red.

Morgan ended up reporting the years of abuse to the Phoenixville Police Department — she is a Phoenixville resident — who ended up transferring the case to Upper Providence Township, just over the line in Montgomery County, since that is where the abuse had taken place during those previous years.

She said she had sort of blocked the abuse out of her mind over the years, and never thought to tell her family what happened — until the night she ran into Beener at that bar.

Morgan said she attended Beener's four-day trial before Judge Rogers, during which she testified about the abuse she suffered at the hands of a man that was supposed to be family, and who was supposed to care for her well-being, but instead took advantage of her.

"I felt good because now he's in jail and he can't do it to anyone else," Morgan said.

Morgan said part of her goal in speaking out is to perhaps help other victims of sexual abuse out there who may feel ashamed and not want to speak up about their trauma.

Morgan said she is now doing well. She lives in an apartment with her boyfriend, she works with her mother in the home healthcare field, and she is continually working on healing from her past.

Beener has not yet been sentenced by Rogers following the conviction, but Morgan hopes her abuser ends up getting significant jail time.

"He deserves to stay in there," she said.

Court records show that sentencing has been scheduled for May 9.

Records also show that Beener has been confined to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility leading up to sentencing.

Editor's Note: Patch would not normally release the identities of victims of childhood sexual abuse, but Brittany agreed to speak on the record and share her story with the hopes it could inspire others.