Amy Acton experienced severe abuse and neglect growing up in Youngstown, even living in a tent in the middle of winter. Her mother, Donna, neglected and abused Amy and her brother, keeping them in a dark basement without enough food. Donna married Amy’s stepfather, Cledith Arthur, on December 20, 1975, after he had already been indicted for incest — knowingly bringing a sexual predator into her children’s lives. Court records show that in 1976, soon after Donna married him, Cledith Arthur began sexually abusing Amy. In 1978, Cledith Arthur was arrested, charged with rape, and indicted by a Grand Jury. Cledith Arthur then fled Ohio, becoming a fugitive of the state. Amy’s mother fled with him and stayed married to her daughter’s rapist until the day that he died. Amy has not seen or spoken to her mother since their last day in court in 1978. Read the truth for yourself:
Read the Official Record ↓Donna H. Stearns, 31, marries Cledith L. Arthur, 41. The newspaper lists them at the same home address. This is 21 months after Cledith Arthur's incest indictment. The marriage brings Cledith Arthur into the lives of Donna's young children, Amy and her brother. Donna Stearns later goes by Donna Arthur.
Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with rape.
Gerald Stearns, Amy's biological father, swears out a criminal complaint charging that between December 1976 and April 1978, Cledith Arthur engaged in sexual conduct with Amy when she was under 13. Cledith Arthur's address on the complaint is Terrace Lake Park, Route 7, Rogers, Ohio.
Austintown Police Detective Joseph Giampietro arrests Cledith Arthur on Friday, July 14, and books him on a charge of rape under Ohio Revised Code 2907.02(A)(3). The law bars sexual conduct with a person "less than thirteen years of age, whether or not the offender knows the age."
The Youngstown Vindicator reports the arrest. Police arrested Cledith Arthur "following an investigation initiated by the girl's father." Cledith Arthur was jailed over the weekend and released on $2,000 bond.
In Mahoning County Court, Cledith Arthur pleads not guilty and waives his right to a speedy trial. The court sets the case for trial and sets bond at $2,000. The docket records Detective Giampietro's sworn charge.
The State of Ohio subpoenas Amy Stearns to testify against Cledith Arthur. The sheriff serves it at her residence on July 19.
A grand jury indicted Cledith Arthur. Then Cledith Arthur ran.
Cledith Arthur signs away his constitutional privileges and agrees to testify before the Mahoning County Grand Jury, acknowledging that his testimony "may be used against me." The court reporter transcribed 16 pages of Cledith Arthur's testimony.
The grand jury indicts Cledith Arthur for the rape of Dr. Acton when she was under 13. A summons orders Cledith Arthur to appear in court on October 13, and the Vindicator lists the indictment the same day.
The judge finds that Cledith Arthur "has willfully vacated his last known address and has failed to provide any forwarding address and his present whereabouts are unknown." The court orders a warrant for Cledith Arthur's arrest "forthwith."
For years, the law looked for Cledith Arthur.
The court orders the Columbiana County sheriff to bring Cledith Arthur in "forthwith" to answer the rape indictment.
A deputy checks the address "on SR-7 at Terrace Lakes." Several court records give this park as Cledith Arthur's address. It backs up what Amy has long said: she spent a winter of her childhood living in a tent at a campground.
Nearly five years after Cledith Arthur fled, the sheriff returns the warrant to the court marked "Bad Address. Not Found."
Amy has told this story for years, and the record backs her up.
"Having experienced homelessness as a child in Youngstown — including a winter spent in a tent — Acton talked of her personal mission to help reduce the number of youths and young adults who have no safe place to live."The Columbus Dispatch, 2019
"Published reports say she lived in 18 or so homes in her first 12 years, even spending one winter in a tent at a campground."WKBN, 2020
Amy's birth mother, Donna Arthur, allowed Cledith Arthur to abuse Amy and stayed with him until his death.
The Youngstown Vindicator's list of new indictments includes "Cledith Arthur, incest."
Donna Stearns knew Cledith Arthur had been indicted for incest when she married him. Their marriage license application is shown at the start of this timeline.
Prosecutors later charged that during these months Cledith Arthur "did engage in sexual conduct with Amy Stearns … the said Amy Stearns being less than thirteen (13) years of age."
Source: Indictment, Case No. 78-CR-557 (shown under October 6, 1978)
Cledith Arthur died in June 2004. Records show Cledith and Donna Arthur shared the same Pennsylvania address at the time. Amy's birth mother chose to side with her indicted childhood rapist. Ohio had issued a warrant for Cledith Arthur's arrest in 1978.
Source: LexisNexis public records
"It's not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother's husband into a political talking point. After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy's rapist until he died. This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core – a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants."Philip Stearns, Dr. Acton's brother · Read the full statement
Amy was 12. Cledith Arthur was charged with raping her, then ran. Five years later, the sheriff still could not find Cledith Arthur.
Amy turned what happened to her into a life of helping others. Her story deserves respect, not to be used as a political weapon.