March 19, 2026 – Town of West Bend, Wi – Representatives from the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Wisconsin and the West Bend School District confirm no children were harmed following a criminal investigation involving a man connected to housing on the grounds of Camp Silver Brook on Decorah Road in the Town of West Bend, WI.
WashingtonCountyInsider.com broke the story Thursday morning about Paul Henry David, 48, who is facing 18 felony charges tied to alleged weapons and drugs found on the premisis of a home he shared with his wife, a staffer at Camp Silver Brook.
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Wi, CEO Anna Simpson addressed the case.
“Girl safety is always our number one priority,” Simpson said. “No children were hurt, past or present.”
Simpson emphasized the man had no official role with the organization. “He’s not an employee… Paul was not an active volunteer, either.”
According to Simpson, the residence tied to the investigation is located outside the camp’s gated and secure area, though still on Girl Scout-owned property. Simpson stressed, “No child ever goes to that residence… it’s outside of the camp.”
At the entrance to the property is a large sign with a green circle and a slash over a handgun. The sign reads, “No firearms or weapons permitted on this property per Wisconssin Act 35.”
Out of the 19 charges issued against Paul Henry David, 13 were weapons related.
Simpson said children attending camp would not have interacted with him.
“Since he was not a background-checked employee, he would not have been present during camp sessions. There wouldn’t have been any sort of interaction,” she said.
According to the Washington County Sheriff, the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Wisconsin contract with a service that conducts background checks on employees and volunteers. The Sheriff confirmed David was screened because he lived on the property, however no violations were found.
Simpson also said the allegations outlined in the criminal complaint were not identified during prior checks or inspections, including a residence search in December 2025.
“There were no concerns raised at that time,” she said.
However, in light of the current situation, Simpson said the organization will be reviewing its procedures.
Camp operations are being adjusted while the investigation continues. “At this time, the school district will be meeting at another location while we’re conducting our investigation.”
Simpson confirmed, the “The employee who is the victim in this situation is on an extended leave until further notice.”
Court records indicate the man is prohibited from being within 1,000 yards of the camp.
Girl Scouts officials said they are coordinating with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and have communicated with the West Bend School District, which used the camp for K4 outdoor classes.
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Wisconsin, also issued a statement:
On Monday, March 16, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office alerted Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE) to the incident occurring at Camp Silver Brook in West Bend on Sunday, March 15. Prior to this, GSWISE was unaware of the situation.
Upon learning about the incident, GSWISE immediately launched a thorough investigation. The employee involved has been placed on leave, and our investigation will determine next steps. Our priority is to ensure that we have a safe place for local Girl Scouts to explore and learn.
We want to be clear – the conduct in question is not in line with GSWISE’s values or our policies. That’s why we immediately launched an investigation to determine the full scope of the incident and hold any appropriate parties accountable.
Thank you,
Emily Roethle
Director of Marketing & Communications
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast
Since Thursday morning, the West Bend School District has responded to a request for information. Below are two letters regarding the district’s 4K use of Camp Silver Brook. The letters have reportedly been sent to parents. The letters are not dated, nor are they written on district letterhead.
The district said the letters were sent March 18 at 12:15 p.m. It was sent to families with students in that particular program, which is about 35.
A second email was sent today, Thursday, March 19, at about 1:45 p.m.
Below is the initial story about the charges published Thursday morning at WashingtonCountyInsider.com
The full criminal complaint is also posted below.
March 19, 2026 – Town of West Bend, Wi – A criminal complaint from Washington County, Wi, details 18 felony charges have been filed against a 48-year-old man who lived at Camp Silver Brook on Decorah Road in the Town of West Bend, Wi.
According to the criminal complaint Paul Henry David is being held on $75,000 bond in connection with charges alleging firearm possession by a convicted out-of-state felon, maintaining a drug trafficing place, use of a dangerous weapon, and manufacture/deliver THC. See details on charges below.
A portion of the criminal complaint is below.
According to the Washington County Sheriff, deputies were at the property after responding to another call for service.
Details in the criminal complaint indicate, “Investigator Ausloos was advised by Sergeant Rodich that Officers located what was believed to be an indoor marijuana grow inside the residence while conducting a protective sweep of the residence after taking Paul Henry David, DOB 11/18/1977, hereinafter identified as the defendant into custody for a domestic-related charge. The defendant’s wife provided consent for Officers to search the property in its entirety.”
The Sheriff said the felony convictions for Paul Henry David were tied to a 3-year imprisonment for drunk driving in Illinois. Details were posted in the criminal complaint.
Your complainant is aware that the defendant has 4 prior OWI related offenses in the State of Wisconsin, with his most recent OWI 4th offense conviction being from 2010. Your complainant is also aware that on December 8, 2022, the defendant was convicted of DUI Alcohol/Drugs, in the State of Illinois and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment concurrent. Your complaint is aware that this 2022 Illinois DUI conviction is a felony offense, and also is an offense which would be a felony if committed in the state of Wisconsin.
The full criminal complaint is below.
PHD Criminal Complaint; 2026CF000169; David, Paul Henry_4305333_1
Click arrow in the lower left corner to advance the page
Camp Silver Brook is clearly marked: “No firearms or weapons permitted on this property.”
Camp Silver Brook is part of Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin. Click HERE for details on the 275-acre camp with access to Lucas Lake.
Calls have been placed to Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin. An email was sent Thursday morning, March 19, 2026.
It is unclear whether the Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin conducted a background check on Paul Henry David, whether he was an employee at Camp Silver Brook or married to the employee. It is also unclear if the Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin knew that he was living at the residence.
There are also questions on whether Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin notified past campers and families about the situation.
According to the sheriff, there were two children living at the home.
The sheriff said calls were also placed to the West Bend School District which runs a 4K program at Camp Silver Brook a couple times a week.
Calls have been placed to the West Bend School District to see if 4K families have been notified and how many students were enrolled in the program. Also to see if the district conducted background checks on Camp Silver Brook.
According to the district website, enrollment began in January 2026 for “families seeking an immersive outdoor experience, WBSD offers free nature-based learning options at two distinct locations (Trinity Lutheran/Camp Silver Brook and Holy Trinity/WBSD Outdoor Science Education Center). These specialized classrooms integrate the natural world into daily lessons, fostering an appreciation for the environment and providing dynamic learning opportunities outside the traditional setting.”
UPDATE | Initially the district responded with a note sent via email. Then 4 hours later another note to parents. Both are posted below.
Questions have been asked about why there is no date on either letter or school district letterhead. The question has also been asked how many families received the note and at what time.
This is a working story and more information will be posted when details are available.
According to the sheriff, Paul Henry David is in jail on March 19, 2026.
Washington County Case Number 2026CF000169 State of Wisconsin vs. Paul Henry David
A preliminary hearing is set for May 6, 2026 at 1:15 p.m. before Washington County Circuit Judge Michael Kenitz
In another court filing Washington County Case Number 2026CV000168 Petitioner vs. Paul Henry David, the 48-year-old with the same address as Camp Silver Brook is being held on a domestic abuse restraining order. The charge was filed March 17, 2026.
The first injunction hearing is March 27, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Kenitz.
This is a working story and more details will be added when information is available.
