More Sex Abuse Lawsuits Against Church

Sexual abuse is a tragic issue, especially when it involves a church and adults entrusted with the health and welfare of children. A South Carolina church previously accused of sexual abuse is now facing additional lawsuits. The suits claim that the founder, senior pastor, former church vice president, and former head of security all turned a blind eye to years of exploitation and abuse.

According to the lawyers for the victims,  the volunteer youth leader at MorningStar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina,  engaged in “grooming” behavior with children by providing them with pornography, alcohol, and vapes to teens as young as 13 years old. The man would in some cases sexually abuse the children between 2019 and 2023.

The man, who also worked for the Cornelius Police Department, was arrested in April 2023. At that time, he was fired from his job with the department. He subsequently  pled guilty to assault and battery in the first degree and criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the second and third degrees, as well as contributing to the delinquency of a minor and dissemination of obscene material to a minor.

The lawsuits name the man’s assistant and 10 unidentified defendants associated with MorningStar who were aware that the man was providing alcohol, vapes, and pornography to minor children. The sexual abuse allegations were never reported to police. Instead, the church handled them “in house.” The lawsuits also claim that several defendants witnessed the misconduct but failed to intervene.

The church responded to the allegations and asserted that,  according to its own internal review, at least three separate background checks were run on the youth leader. One was done by the military, another by the Cornelius Police Department, and a third one was done internally by the church.

The man held a national security clearance due to his military service, so he was also subject to an elevated background check according to the church. The church also felt confident in the man partly because of his status as a police officer.

MorningStar maintains that the man was removed from his leadership position once church officials became aware of his actions, The church also claims that it reported him to police when sexual abuse allegations were first raised. According to the church, the sexual misconduct occurred at the man’s home in Fort Mill, not at the church.

Contact Us Today

Sexual abuse should never happen.  Sadly, child predators are often found in churches and prey on the most vulnerable, using their status as trusted individuals to cause immeasurable harm.

The Columbia sexual abuse & trauma victim lawyers from Simmons Law Firm are dedicated to helping abuse victims get the care and compensation they need to recover from the abuse and trauma they have suffered. Our experienced team offers compassionate personal attention and effective results. To schedule a consultation with our office, call (803) 779-4600 or fill out the online form.

Source:

qcnerve.com/morningstar-fellowship-church/