Latest news with #BibleChapel
CBS News
03-07-2025
- CBS News
Family sues Washington County church, alleging teen was sexually assaulted at youth group for those with special needs
A Washington County church is the subject of a civil lawsuit. It accuses the church of not doing enough to prevent an alleged sexual assault of a child with special needs. According to the attorney representing the family who is suing The Bible Chapel Ministries, they want to make sure that no one goes through the pain and trauma that they went through. The lawsuit filed in the Court of Common Pleas says a 13-year-old with Down syndrome was sexually assaulted while attending a youth group event at the non-denominational church in January. "It's even more troubling. It makes the event even more traumatizing and even harder to overcome," attorney Veronica Hubbard said. According to the lawsuit, an adult on the autism spectrum who also participated in the special needs ministry assaulted the child. Other children were apparently present and reported it to youth group leaders, who intervened after more than five minutes. The victim's family wasn't notified until the child was picked up after the youth group event. On its website, Bible Chapel said its special needs ministry is to allow people to attend church with no worries and all staff and volunteers are rigorously screened, cleared and trained. "They trusted the church. They thought that this was a safe space for my client to go to and that wasn't the case," Hubbard said. Court papers said the alleged assault happened while there was no supervision. The perpetrator's father was to have continuous supervision of him because of past behavior, including another alleged sexual abuse of a youth member on the church playground. The lawsuit alleges no report was made to ChildLine until the victim's mother and therapist called. Hubbard said her clients fear this could happen again. "That's her biggest concern. Making sure the people who didn't prevent this from happening are held accountable and to make sure this doesn't happen to vulnerable people in the future," Hubbard said. Bible Chapel Ministries provided this statement: "Earlier this year, a student with special needs engaged in inappropriate behavior with another student with special needs during Student Ministry. Upon noticing the behavior, the students were immediately separated, families were notified, and the matter was reported to Childline/Child Protective Services and local authorities. The student who initiated the behavior was also suspended indefinitely from all youth activities. Authorities have since completed their investigation and affirmed that we responded appropriately. "We have, and will continue to, handle the incident in a manner consistent with our values, providing our full cooperation and care for all involved. While litigation is underway, we cannot share further details, but we remain committed to God's Word to serve all involved." There is no timeline yet for when the civil trial will take place.
NDTV
27-06-2025
- NDTV
Christian Priest Crucified In US, Suspect Confesses He Had 14 More On List
New Delhi: The man accused of crucifying an elderly pastor in Arizona confessed to the crime in a jailhouse interview. The 51-year-old Adam Christopher Sheafe added that he had a longer list of religious leaders he intended to kill. In an interview with FOX 10, Sheafe claimed to have killed Pastor Bill Schonemann, 76, who was the leader of the New River Bible Chapel in New River, Arizona, in April. Schonemann, who was referred to as "Pastor Bill" in the neighbourhood, was discovered dead in his bed on April 28. His arms were pinned to the wall behind him and stretched wide, in the form of a crucifixion. According to Sheafe, the brutal attack was a part of a spiritual mission that he titled 'Operation First Commandment,' to punish religious leaders who he believed were deceiving followers. Sheafe told FOX 10 that he believed Christian churches were misguiding their members by encouraging them to follow Jesus, a false God, and that his goal was to crucify 14 more pastors or priests of no particular religion. Police apprehended Sheafe in the vicinity of the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, where he intended to kill two priests. He is currently being held at the Coconino County Jail and has been charged with first-degree murder in Maricopa County. In his interview with True Crime Arizona on Monday, the 51-year-old suspect discussed the unsettling image, including the crown of thorns he claimed to have created from items he gathered in the woods and placed on pastor Schonemann's head. Sheafe said he had planned to follow a priest to his home in Phoenix after Easter services in order to kill him prior to the Schonemann murder. This was the first of 14 planned "executions" that would have taken place across the country. Following Schonemann's murder, Sheafe claimed to have travelled to Sedona with the intention of killing two more religious leaders. He eventually was found to be the suspect in a break-in, which prompted Sedona police to pursue him faster. Despite the gruesome crime, Adam Sheafe resolutely declined to offer an apology for the purported murder. He claimed that he was behaving in accordance with what he considered to be God's law and that he expected redemption.
