Donald Manhal - The Real Predator

Donald Manhal - Convicted DFS Caseworker & Child Molester

Court Documents & Records

Donald Manhal served as a Missouri Division of Family Services (DFS) caseworker in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was assigned to the Britton brothers (Charles, Jason, and Clinton) after they were removed from their home for truancy. As adults, the brothers have sworn under oath that Manhal coerced, pressured, and manipulated them into making false accusations against their uncle, Curtis Scott Hansen.

Manhal was later convicted of child molestation. He died in prison in 2010. Court records and investigative reporting describe him as a predator who preyed on vulnerable boys in his care.

Key Facts

Role in the Britton Case (1988–1989): Manhal had one-on-one access to the young brothers (ages 8, 9, and 10). He repeatedly questioned them about sex, told them disturbing stories, promised they could go home if they accused a relative, and allegedly rewarded them with cash and cookies for cooperating with prosecutors. The brothers have consistently stated the abuse they were coached to describe never happened.

Prior Red Flags: Court documents from Manhal’s later case note he was fired from a previous counseling job after an incident involving an 11-year-old boy. Another entry references him seeking help to remove “kiddie porn” from his computer.

Conviction (2002): Manhal pleaded guilty to child molestation charges. He was sentenced to prison and began serving time for molesting a child (unrelated to the Britton case).

Death: Donald Lee Manhal died in prison on July 27, 2010.

Connection to Curtis Scott Hansen:

The false accusations Manhal allegedly manufactured against Curtis led to a plea deal in 1989 that branded an innocent 19-year-old as a sex offender for life. Despite the nephews’ full recantations since 2007 and the conviction of the actual predator, Curtis still carries the lifelong consequences. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit is currently reviewing the case for actual innocence.

This page powerfully shows how a trusted state worker abused his position — and why justice for Curtis remains urgent.

Attorney & Nephew Quotes

“He was a predator… It’s clear he was preying on little boys at the time.” — Attorney Matt Radefeld (whose firm represented Manhal in the molestation case) - Fox 2 Now

“It just was us three boys and Manhal… He said this is the way you get home.” — Charles Britton

“The man never should’ve been put in that kind of position. He destroyed four people’s lives.” — Clinton Britton

Limited Accountability: Manhal’s Name and Record

Despite Donald Manhal’s conviction for child molestation and his central role in coercing false accusations that destroyed lives, his name received virtually no public attention at the time of his crimes or conviction.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Manhal was actively working as a DFS caseworker and pressuring the Britton brothers, his name was never mentioned in news coverage surrounding Curtis Scott Hansen’s case. The focus remained entirely on the accusations against Curtis — a scared 19-year-old who took a plea deal.

Even after Manhal pleaded guilty to child molestation charges in 2002 and was sentenced to prison (where he later died in 2010), there was no widespread media reporting linking him to the Britton case or highlighting the broader implications for families he oversaw. It was not until FOX2 News investigative reports in 2020 and 2025 that Manhal’s actions were brought into the public spotlight by name, thanks to the courage of the Britton brothers coming forward as adults.

Furthermore, Donald Manhal was never publicly listed as a registered sex offender on Missouri’s Case.net system in a way that connected him to his prior role as a state caseworker or alerted the families he had impacted. Curtis Scott Hansen, by contrast, has been required to register as a sex offender for 38 years based on the false accusations Manhal helped manufacture.

This disparity raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and how the justice system handled a predator who held a position of trust with vulnerable children.

Sign the Petition for Curtis Scott Hansen

All information is drawn from public court records, sworn statements, and FOX2 investigative reports.