He said the bill itself is unconstitutional and that is why he was testifying against the bill. To suggest that we can't go up to those organizations and cap a statute, I think is inappropriate," Smith said. The misfortune at Kanakuk is in part a result of creating an environment in which religious fundamentalism is the order of the day and a ploy to attract clients. Newman is currently serving Michael Essma of the Kansas City law firm Shook, Hardy, and Bacon testified on behalf of the American Tort Reform Association. Although it is coming out about Kanakuk leadership putting him on probation in 1999 and 2003, I have complete faith that they only knew about the streaking(which is inappropriate but probably not criminal). If yes, when and where? The third witness, Keith Dygart, reported on his own settlement with Kanakuk, describing the immense toll his legal battle took on his family. The camp developed its Child Protection Plan in 2009, after one of its directors was arrested and charged with abusing children hed met at camp and through related ministries. It is not part on Gods plan for kids to get raped, women abused, people murdered. I agree with namelessbased on the lawsuit, it seems the camp had knowledge that Pete Newmans criminal behavior dated back years and still employed him, putting countless other campers at risk. Required fields are marked *. Pingback:Scoop blog: Lawsuit against Kanakuk, a popular Christian summer camp, alleges child molestation by employee | Dallas Info, whatever wrote at March 12, 2011 at 10:20 am: you cant trust anyone completely when it comes to your kids.. I used to refer to him as a survivor, Phillips testified. This is not the first cover-up accusation Kanakuk has faced. Rick DiGiorgio, a Birmingham, Ala., attorney who represented the plaintiff in the most recent lawsuit to be settled, said the cases send a strong message: Anyone who witnesses an adult behaving in a disturbing manner around children must take action. Joe White is a decent human being whose naivete must be gargantuan. Kanakuk leadership then confronts Newman, who initially reveals about 15 names of boys he had abused. The two recent lawsuits were filed in Missouri and in federal court in Dallas. Those who identify as survivors, along with family members, sent an open letter to camp leadership Thursday with their demands. It hardly took any time at all for Pete for start sexually abusing me, Dygert testified. I know a few boys were horribly hurt by this mans actions, but also thousands of children were irreparably harmed by the evil this role model was hiding. What you can do is insist that organized entities like schools, churches, etc. This legislation is most serious, Rep. Seitz said in his testimony. "And I believed this narrative for over a decade.". Kanakuk continues to rank among the best-known Christian camps in the country and serves over 20,000 kids a summer. The press page on its website now leads with a link to a 322-word statement on abuse, which describes the Newman case without mentioning his name and apologizes to victims and their families. God forgive them all and save us from the professional religious! Elizabeth Carlock Phillips testified before the committee on behalf of her brother, Trey Carlock, who committed suicide in 2019 following his abuse at Kanakuk at the hands of child molester Pete Newman, who is serving two life terms plus 30 years in a Jefferson City prison. "A short statute of limitations can be lethal, as my family knows," Phillips said, later adding: "I used to refer to him as a survivor. All rights reserved. In July of last year, roughly eight people identifying as victims or their family members went on air with a Texas TVnews broadcast to share their comments, their faces hidden from viewers. He represents Kanakuk Kamps on recruitment trips and leads father-son retreats. WebA lawsuit filed on behalf of John Doe XII alleging sexual assault is filed against former Kanakuk Kamps Director Pete Newman, currently serving two life sentences plus 30 My father has also been a director of other Christian camps and I can say that this was a horrific scandal that grieved everyone in the Christian camping community. Chief executive Joe White was given a hard copy, said Scott Hastings, Dallas-based attorney for No More Victims LLC, which providedthe letter to the News-Leader in advance. A weekend with Pete will build a father-son relationship that will never be the same. Isnt this the attorney that nailed All Saints over the Rudy Koss thing? As a child growing up in Branson, Hoffpauir was involved with Kanakuk's youth ministries, and said he was abused by Kanakuk director Pete Newman from 1999 http://stopbaptistpredators.blogspot.com/2011/04/complicity-in-baptistland.html. It led him to settle and sign a non-disparagement agreement at a time when only a small portion of the story was actually known, he said. This is the most important thing. On Monday night, when he and other survivors of childhood sexual abuse testified at a public hearing of the Missouri House Judiciary Committee, Hoffpauir said he's come to believe "there was someone else responsible:" Camp leadership, including Kanakuk CEO Joe White, who remains in charge. Newman and Kanakuk Kamps founder and president Joe White are also defendants in the suit. Hoffpauir noted in a. intended to gain public support that speaking out might have been the hardest thing that Ive ever done. Other survivors are posting support on social media and sending messages to committee members. The current civil statute laws only protect the perpetrator. Phillips said the non-disclosure agreement her brother had to sign as part of his settlement with Kanakuk left him to where he was afraid to speak about the incident even in a therapeutic setting. We have never had, nor will we ever have, any tolerance for anyone who seeks to harm a child in any physical, sexual or emotional way. Kanakuk leaders contact some victim families and tell them they learned about Newmans abuse because of a tip from a hotline. The next step for Seitzs bill is an executive session hearing before a vote of the committee. Vice News speaks with survivors, who say the camp has used confidentiality clauses to keep them quiet.Executive Producers: Nikki Egan, Shane Smith, Maral UsefiSenior Producers: Kristin Fraser, Joelle MartinezManaging Editor: Leah FeigerProducers: Judy Cai, Brennan CusackCorrespondent: Meena DuersonEditors: Mark Apicella, Kristie FerrisoCinematographers: Brian Dawson, Miasarah LaiWriter: Adriane Quinlan Associate Producer: Kassidy Dillon\r\r---Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News\r\rCheck out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com\r\rFollow VICE News here:\rFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/vicenews\rTwitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews\rTumblr: http://vicenews.tumblr.com/\rInstagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews\rMore videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo\r\r#VICENews #News #emmys2022 The bill also would allow civil actions that were barred or dismissed due to the civil statute of limitations to be revived within the confines of legislation. In the same speech, he also describes a man who had been incestuously abused by his father and encourages listeners to forgive their abusers to be freed from resentment. The abuse began in the fall of 2000, it alleges, and continued over the next several years, during which time Newman encouraged the boy to perform a series of activities in the nude, including swinging naked from a trapeze into the pool, and engage in acts of mutual masturbation. The 2019 publication. From what I know of Joe White he would have never allowed anyone to work at Kanakuk, never the less be on leadership, if they had done anything questionable in this area. Tell us at[emailprotected], and well post another blog with recommendations for what to look for and ask when choosing a summer camp. Please take 30 seconds to demand Kanakuk leadership do the right thing. What happens if someone doesnt follow policies?). An Evangelical Empire The first of many civil lawsuits against Kanakuk and former Director Pete Newman are filed. Earlier this year, a former counselor was sentenced to 10 years for sexually abusing three boys ages 9, 10 and 12 who had attended the camp in 2011. We encourage you to read them yourselves to truly understand the full scope of abuse and institutional wrong-doing by Kanakuk. Key facts and new revelations about sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps: The National Center on Sexual Exploitation stands with the survivors in demanding Kankuk release them from their NDAs and welcome their public testimony so they could pursue healing (tragically, several victims of Kanakuk have died by suicide which is highly suspected to have been due to the trauma of the abuse they endured). Introducing HB 367, Seitz emphasized the long-term importance of the bill for child sexual abuse victims and survivors. The motion noted that thousands of campers attend Kanakuk camps every year and the vast majority have positive experiences., Simply put, Kanakuk truly believed they were running a good, Christian-influenced camp. is a senior at Wingate University and serves as BNGs Clemons Fellow. Kanakuk Kamps, a Branson-based Christian sports camp network that draws thousands of youths every summer many from the Kansas City area is facing two lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by a former director. Sad story all the way around but the victims deserve whatever justice they can get for such an awful betrayal. This story was originally published December 1, 2013, 11:03 PM. Your email address will not be published. I agree with grump Get professional help IMMEDIATELY! He was charismatic, magnetic, the kids loved him. sent an open letter to camp leadership Thursday, theletter outlines three demands from the survivor community, "hot tub Bible studies" with minors in his care, Former Kanakuk counselor Peter Newman named in new sex-abuse lawsuit, Lawyers honored for $20 million lawsuit against former Kanakuk camp director, begun coming forward to share their grievances with Kanakuk, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. With Missouris current statute of limitations, most of our abused children, which statistically is one in four girls and one in six boys, will never be allowed to seek legal action against the enablers of their perpetrators.. Documenting the Catholic Sexual Abuse and Financial Crisis Data on bishops, priests, brothers, nuns, Pope Francis, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Documenting the Abuse Crisis in the Roman Catholic Church Established June 2003, https://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/news/local/article_8d7278d8-aed9-11ed-acc0-6738f0cfff1b.html. The first victim with Kanakuk ties who spoke at the hearing, Elizabeth Phillips, discussed how the bill would help prevent self-harm and suicidal thoughts, which multiple victims said is a pressing issue among Kanakuk survivors. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby publicly endorses Kanakuks Kids Across America camp for urban youth, stating Kids Across America is doing what needs to be done with kids, and you need to become part of this place too.. The Missouri committee will vote on the legislation soon, and survivors are urging others to send emails to committee members in support of the bill. In a signed statement, White admits he knew of Newmans naked hot tub sessions, mutual masturbation, and nude running through the camp with minors but again, made no mention of having contacted law enforcement or legal authorities about these incidents. I was a camp counselor at Kanakuk Kamps for 2 summers and attended 2 of their camps for 6 as a camper. Newman is currently serving two life sentences plus 30 years in prison. NewsMallory Challis | February 21, 2023. With the release of the new articles, former Kanakuk campers, staff and sexual abuse survivors have come forward from cities that include Dallas and Amarillo, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Nashville, Tenn.; and A lawsuit filed on behalf of John Doe XII alleging sexual assault is filed against former Kanakuk Kamps Director Pete Newman, currently serving two life sentences plus 30 years in Missouri state prison for child sexual abuse. The abuse includes encouragement of and participation in nude swimming, basketball, and four-wheeling; exposure and inspection of genitalia; one-on-one sleepovers; mutual masturbation sessions; oral sex; and sodomy all occurring while he is representing Kanakuk and promoted within its ranks. According to NCOSE, Kanakuk was put on the 2022 Dirty Dozen list due to multiple reports of child abuse at its camps, including one written by David and Nancy French for The Dispatch in March 2021. Maybe Mr. White was trying to contain the situation or do damage control by keeping Pete Newman on staff (knowing that if he was terminated, the truth would likely become known), but his decision to retain Newman in the face of his criminal behavior against the campers was a terrible lapse in judgement. But he didn't survive past the age of 29, so now I refer to him as a victim, and I'm trying to be his voice.". On a call from Texas, Hastings declined to identify who owns the No More Victims limited-liability corporation. They hope to extend or eliminate the civil limitations on legal action, which would allow abuse victims more time to report their experiences to law enforcement. "I'm now a 45-year-old woman with what I consider to be great strength, and it takes a lot of courage to get up here today and say this," she said. And not all even survive.. He said only that it is "supported by victims and victims' family members" and that "because of the situation that Kanakuk has created with threats of retaliation and action against them, the entity has made the decision that it needs to protect the names in the sources of its ownership for fear of further retaliation from Kanakuk.". In their piece, the Frenches discussed Pete Newman, a former camp counselor at Kanakuk who in 2010 pled guilty to sexually "Dozens of survivors and family members of survivors have collaborated on this letter," said Hastings, the No More Victims lawyer, on Thursday afternoon. House bill 367 cannot stop these events, but will allow for these children who are now adults, to call the people, and I use that term loosely, to be held to account and creates a path for civil actions to benefit the survivors and provide some form of restitution and accountability.. Victims have been silenced by nondisclosure agreements in out-of-court settlements. No tolerance, none, we dont care who gets pissed off. More:Former Kanakuk counselor Peter Newman named in new sex-abuse lawsuit, More:Lawyers honored for $20 million lawsuit against former Kanakuk camp director. Missouri currently stops the clock at 31-years-old, and youre pushing child rape victims, forcing them to sprint a race when theyre struggling just ot survive and heal., This is not fair, and it makes justice impossible.. Dygert testified White and leadership at Kanakuk had caught Newman engaging in sexual abuse of children at least three times before his arrest and despite being mandatory reporters in Taney County there is no evidence Kanakuk leaders reported these situations to law enforcement or any government authority. ", Dygert relayed a message to the committee, too: "One victim's mother asked me, and I quote, 'Please let the committee know how many people this will help, that feel like they have no voice and no help from those that hurt them.'". Pete Newman is indicted and convicted of multiple counts of sex abuse against dozens of Kanakuk campers. Newman is encouraged to host additional para-camp ministries, often one on one or in small groups, including his hot tub Bible studies, a practice he talks about in Kanakuk speeches and often uses as a location for abuse. He said he sought legal help to hold his abusers accountable, but Missouri law denied him the opportunity to pursue justice. have a no private alone-time policy between adults and minors and, for that matter, teenage junior counselors and the children they are supervising, with exceptions only during emergencies and when those happen, a full report by the adult of who he was with, what he was doing, and why they had to be alone together. Survivors and family members of victims of sexual abuse at Kanakuk camps testified at a hearing before the Missouri House Judiciary Committee regarding a Phillips said the current statute of limitations has a traumatic impact on survivors. But he didnt survive past the age of 29, so now I refer to him as a victim, and Im trying to be his voice. The plaintiff in the Taney County case, John Doe JG, was from Arkansas and was 12 in 2003 when the alleged abuse began. Evan Hoffpauir, another victim who spoke at the hearing, said he did not learn for years that Kanakuk Kamps was aware of his abusers predatory tendencies the year they met, in 1999. She also reported another victim who was abused by the same person around the same time notified the camp in 1985, but Kanakuk did nothing. Sadly, new allegations of systemic sexual abuse of children by adults, child-on-child abuse, and cover-ups at Kanakuk have recently come to light through a series of investigative reports based on new survivor testimony and witness accounts from former Kankuk employees. A Kanakuk spokesman said camp officials could not discuss pending litigation. Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here. Kanakuk Kamps releases its first written policy on preventing sexual abuse, 19 years after materials to educate staff were readily available and more than 23 years after the Camp Directors Guide: Preventing Sexual Exploitation of Children was published by the U.S. Department of Justice. Former staff members solicited child sexual abuse material (child porn) from campers. That lawsuit was settled in April, also for an undisclosed amount. The law was telling me there was nothing to be done about it, and the clock had run out on me. A lawsuit is filed in Missouri state court by a John Doe and his parentsalleging sexual abuse by Kanakuk Kamps. The camp identified 21 items on the website that it characterized as needing correction. The Lord will Bless Kanakuk. Parents deserve facts before choosing to enroll their children to the care of any Kanakuk-related program. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Joe Whites private pilot, Robert John Morgan, who flies him to speaking engagements and medical appointments, is indicted on charges of sodomizing a female victim under the age of 14. All I can say is that this shocked all of us and made us truly sad. Joe Whites private pilot, Robert John Morgan, is indicted on incest charges against his biological child. Jody Jones, who flew from Utah to testify, was a camper at Kanakuk in 1985, when she was 8. Suite 2100 Joe Alarcon, father of Ashton Alarcon from Amarillo, Texas, spoke in Texas on behalf of Kanakuk survivors, including his son, who was abused in multiple states, including Texas, he said. Rebecca Randles, the Kansas City lawyer representing John Doe DK and his parents, said the alleged victim, now 26, is from southwest Missouri. In a motion filed in October, Kanakuk argued that the plaintiff cant hold the organization liable for Newmans actions because the Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that molesting children is a personal crime that is not a part of a persons job duties.. Survivors of child sexual abuse are attempting to enact laws in Missouri and Texas to change the legal landscape for Christian camps that cater to children and teens. Soon afterward, he begins a 14-year history of sexual crimes with male campers. The groups are seeking reforms in laws regarding the statute of limitations for sexual abuse. Newman continues grooming and abusing campers. Following Newmans termination and confession of child sexual abuse, White sends an email to Kanakuk families that stated Newman is dealing with a personal family crisis while asking them to respect his privacy and keep [Newman] in your prayers.. Joe White provided lavish gifts such as technology devices, camp merchandise, and Harry & David fruit baskets to several known victims. So I very well firmly believe that the Lord has and had and has acted on this plan for this situation. Morgan is convicted and sentenced to 10 years for statutory sodomy. Many victims fight for years amidst trauma, depression, suicidal thoughts and shame, and it takes them years to be ready to tell their stories, if ever. The abusive, criminal behavior Pete Newman admitted runs counter to everything Kanakuk Kamps has stood for over the past 85 years, the statement said. Newman also sexually abused the boy multiple times at Newmans home and in other locations, the lawsuit says. Im just glad I dont live at 8200 No More Victims Road. The other pending lawsuit, filed in August by John Doe III in U.S. District Court in Dallas, names Kanakuk and Newman as defendants. Pingback:Leading Off (3/15/11) | FrontBurner. The problem I have with White and Kanakuk is that they continued to employ Newman for years(even sending him to stay in the homes of some of the boys he molested to recruit other kampers)AFTER they had him sign a probationary agreement acknowledging his inappropriate behavior with young boys all in the name of PROFITnot a Prophet! Despite such agreements, multiple accusers have begun coming forward to share their grievances with Kanakuk. And anything that wouldn't be an extension of that would be something very difficult for us to understand," AuBuchon said. Witnesses said the killing happened the morning before, according to court documents. Threatened with outside legal action, Newman writes a confession letter. A $20 million judgment is awarded In the Doe IX case, making it the top plaintiffs judgment in Missouri for that year. Hoffpauir said finding out this information helped him to finally tell his family about the abuse in 2022. When you see that activity, youre going to have to address it. The final victim to speak at the hearing, Jody Jones, described how she felt following abuse that happened when she was just 8 years old in 1985, not knowing if she could tell anyone what happened to her. If a non-profit organization or business knows Missouri has eliminated its statute of limitations for a particular type of claim, it can adopt an appropriate retention policy.. Through no fault of their own, children and/or the medically disabled who may have been abused in the past are being victimized again by not being able to hold the perpetrators to account in civil actions, he said. "So is 55 a reasonable timeframe to push that back? Because of Kanakuks ability to cover up the breadth of sexual violence that occurred, many victims never learned how far the problem expanded beyond their own case until they were past the statute of limitations, and now legal accountability is no longer an option for them, Dygart said. An investigation by journalists Nancy and David French, who called Kanakuk "the worst Christian sex abuse scandal you've never heard of," first reported Kanakuk's alleged early knowledge of Newman's behavior. This not only hinders the healing process for victims themselves but also allows perpetrators to continue committing violence as their victims age out of the statute of limitations, they report. The 2019 publication Molestation and Abuse by Camp Counselors lists 22 summer camps in Texas. Seitz referred to the victims of Kanakuk who would be testifying. In a written testimonial, White writes: A weekend with Pete will build a father-son relationship that will never be the same.. Addressed to Kanakuk CEO White but unsigned and undated, theletter outlines three demands from the survivor community: First, that the nationally-known evangelical camp agree to an outside investigation conducted by a law firm, with a goal of documenting abuse accusations the letter says have been kept secret to date. Victims ofsexual abuse byformer Kanakuk Kamp stafferPete Newman(pictured above, currently serving 2 consecutive life sentences plus 30 years) have come forward and are taking legal action. He has access to thousands of children with little supervision. And explain to them what he was accused of, and then later tell them that he had confessed. Each person who spoke with the CBS 11 I-Team says he or she, or a family member of his or hers, was sexually abused at Kanakuk Kamps sometime between 1999 and 2008. On Thursday, Hastingssaid Kanakuk had filed no lawsuit against No More Victims since last year. Kanakuk Kamps worked extensively with authorities to provide information used in the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Newman. Both of my sons attended Kanakuk during this time period while Pete was a director. It is time to hear their voices and experiences. There should be an alarm going off, DiGiorgio said. Lord, come soon. Ed Ringheim, a former counselor, bus chaperone and volunteer for K-Life is sentenced to 15 years in Florida state prison for the sexual abuse of children. What we see here, though, is forgetting about our Constitution. He testified he tried to move forward in life, including getting a college degree, getting married, and getting involved in his community. Organizations such as Boy Scouts of America do not allow it. For years, I remember walking down to my parents room at night and putting my hand on the doorknob and wanting to go in to tell them, and going back upstairs and crying myself to sleep, because I didnt have the courage at the time to say something, she said. Man first of all, we all need Jesus, that is a fact and a very big big fact! Anything less than what this bill proposes gives perpetrators and the institutions that harbor them an advantage over abused children and their recoveries. The website, which went live on Saturday, includes links to court documents for six lawsuits in which Kanakuk and senior staff members, including Joe White, were names as defendants. Stories like this are tragic, and a good reminder that you cant trust anyone completely when it comes to your kids. Before kissing your children good-bye as they head out to their summer activities,be sure to ensure review this C-A-M-P-S checklist: Here is a guide which parents at NCOSE have found helpful12 Questions Parents Need to Ask Their Childs Summer Camp Program. You have a serious problem. He is prominently featured on the Kanakuk Kamps website and in camp videos and written materials. So far, we know of over 15 deaths of despair associated with Kanakuk abuse. Pete was articulate. These offenses include sexual assault of a child, aggravated assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a young child or disabled individual, sex trafficking of a child, compelling a child into prostitution and indecency with a child. Monday's hearing was on legislation that would extend the civil statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. It names Kanakuk; its president, Joe White; and Newman as defendants. Repeated failure to abide by mandatory reporting laws for child safety, molestation and abuse. Take action by signing this petition to urge Joe White and Kanakuk Ministries to allow victims to have a voice. Joe White continued to promote Pete and bury complaints of those outside the camp who had witnessed suspicious behavior, Dygert said. It said the plaintiff, who at the time was from Texas, attended Kanakuk from 1998 to 2007 and that Newman molested him from 2001, when he was 10, to 2007. And somewhat bewildered. Alumni and donors deserve the truth as well. He had a heart for others who were victims there as well, and he was a generous friend to those he could help.
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