DENVER -- It is a case of horrible child abuse involving a 5-year old boy, and how officials at Adams County Social Services have tried to prosecute the very doctor they called in to help him.

7 NEWS Investigator John Ferrugia has the story of how a mother in search of help for her son, has been living a nightmare while the sexual abuser remains free.

John Ferrugia: It was a tough case. Two other therapists couldn't get the child to talk. But Dr. John Dicke used some unconventional therapy and the child literally acted out his sexual abuse, and his condition improved.

That's when Adams County Social Services officials went after the doctor who they had recommended.

Karen/mother: "My son was very aggressive to other kids. I had him in a day care and he just started acting out. It was like a big puzzle. It just seemed like nothing would work."

John Ferrugia: His aggression finally made sense when in a fit, her son described how he had been sexually abused. But an investigation by Adams County Social Services was closed after the child did not repeat his allegations to authorities, so they referred the mother to Dr. Dicke.

Dr. John Dicke is a clinical psychologist treating, among others, victims of child abuse. In the first session with the 5-year-old boy, he was stunned.

Dr. John Dicke: "I wasn't even engaged with him when he touched me. I was fully clothed talking with his mother when he came over and touched the area of my crotch."

John Ferrugia: After the session he reported in detail to the caseworker at Adams County Social Services. But this was just the beginning.

Dr. John Dicke: "I was again sitting on the couch with his mother and he went behind another couch of mine and you could hear some rustling back there and he appeared totally naked and then he began acting out the sexual abuse that had been perpetrated on him."

Karen/mother: "It was really hard watching what was coming out."

John Ferrugia: Karen was in every session and she said the therapy made their family life so much better.

Karen/mother: "I mean, it was just phenomenal the improvement in my son after we would leave. It was almost as he knew it was a place where he could get everything out."

John Ferrugia: As Dicke reported information to Adams County Social Services the agency re-opened its child abuse investigation and pressed Dicke to videotape the sessions. They hoped to identify and prosecute the person who did it. John Dicke agreed. At the same time, Dicke felt the child could benefit from traditional therapy with an anatomically correct doll, but the doll wasn't immediately available.

Dr. John Dicke: "There were two phalluses made available to him. One that was small and one that was large and he could do with them what he wanted."

John Ferrugia: Almost immediately the child used the large phallus to demonstrate what happened to him.

Karen/mother: "It was almost too horrible to comprehend. He was enraged. He was biting on it. "

John Ferrugia: Dicke felt the child had begun to master his fear and anxiety. He was also sure that he had evidence on tape that would convict the abuser. But when he turned the tapes over to Adams County Social Services, officials turned on him. They charged that his unorthodox therapy constituted child abuse. But wait a minute! Weren't these sessions monitored by social services?

Karen/mother: "The social worker was well aware of what was going on in therapy through Dr. Dicke and through myself after practically every session. I would call her and give her a rundown."
Ferrugia: In detail?
Karen/mother: "In detail of what happened in the therapy sessions, and she would say, 'That sounds great. It seems like you are really making progress.'"

Ferrugia: Concurrent with the process, are you telling social services everything that's going on? That you are using a phallus?
Dr. John Dicke: Yes.
Ferrugia: That the child has used the phallus to demonstrated what has happened to him?
Dr. John Dicke: Yes.

John Ferrugia: Even so, officials turned the tapes over to Denver police and to the Denver D.A. for criminal prosecution. The Denver district attorney found no criminal activity on the tape and dropped the case.

Karen/mother: "I felt so betrayed because he is an organization you are supposed to trust."

John Ferrugia: Even though her child was showing dramatic improvement, social services threatened Karen, telling her if she continued to take her child to John Dicke, the boy would be placed in foster care.

Karen/mother: "It was like he had a safe place where he knew he was safe to express it and he no longer had that."

John Ferrugia: Dr. Donald Cassatta, director of Adams County Social Services, admits the caseworker was informed about the therapy. But he says, no one in his department was actually aware of what was happening until they saw the videotape. He claims what was seen on the tape was abusive to the child.

Adams Country Socials Services has now filed a complaint with the State Board Of Psychologists and the Attorney General is investigating whether John Dicke provided sub-standard care.

Ironically, there is yet another complaint to the state board about Dickey. It is from the person who was the chief suspect in the sexual abuse of the child. No one has been charged in the case.