A 35-year-old Tennessee woman is behind bars for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old boy she met at church. Courtney Michelle Bingham was arrested on Dec. 4 after allegedly sending nude photos to the teen she met at Bethany Baptist…
Church volunteer charged with child sex abuse has worked with kids before
Before volunteering to work with children at NewSpring Church in North Charleston, South Carolina, Jake Hazlett frequented other multi-site megachurches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention that don’t include the word “Baptist” in their name.
Lawsuit says church missed child abuse caught on security camera
A South Carolina megachurch is under scrutiny after the arrest of a church volunteer reportedly caught on security video molesting 14 preschoolers in the last three months.
Attorney named in Pressler lawsuit under investigation for fraud
The attorney representing a man alleging sexual abuse by former Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler is seeking a delay in court proceedings after police raided one of the parties named in a lawsuit originally filed in 2017. The Houston Chronicle…
Judge dismisses 5 of 8 claims in Pressler lawsuit, citing statutes of limitations
A Texas judge has dismissed most of a sexual assault lawsuit against former Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler due to statutes of limitation. Houston Judge Ravi K. Sandill signed an order Oct. 15 granting summary judgment in favor of Pressler…
Interim IMB president says investigation into handling of abuse allegations will continue
An independent, outside review of the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board’s past handling of abuse allegations announced in July by IMB President David Platt will continue after he leaves the post next week, officials confirmed Sept. 20. Platt, who…
18 years after child porn conviction, Baptist pastor accused of trying to entice a minor
A former longtime Southern Baptist preacher whose ministry stalled 18 years ago when he went to prison for possessing child pornography is back in jail, this time for allegedly trying to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex.
Church camp rape lawsuit ends in settlement
The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma reportedly agreed to implement steps improve the safety of thousands of youth attending annual summer camps in a confidential settlement of a lawsuit involving the rape of a 13-year-old girl.
Advocates seek transparent probe into alleged abuse failures by SBC
Victim advocates welcomed news of an independent investigation into whether a Southern Baptist Convention entity failed to report a missionary credibly accused of child molestation but cautioned that not all independent investigators are the same.