River Forest foster parent cleared of sexual assault charges

A River Forest man who took in dozens of foster children and formerly headed Chicago Catholic Publications was cleared Tuesday on charges that he sexually assaulted two girls.

Robert L. Gaskill, 68, was acquitted of the molestation charges by Cook County Judge Geary W. Kull in Maywood, according to court records.

Gaskill operated a foster care service with his wife, as well as a foster care support system called Tapestry Chicago, when he was arrested in 2012.

He was a former publisher of the Oak Leaves/Pioneer Press West Group and also had served as president and publisher of Chicago Catholic Publications, which publishes the Chicago Archdiocese’s official newspaper, the New World.