priest abuse

Bipartisan supporters of the bill say that nondisclosure agreements are often used to silence underage victims and prevent them from speaking out. The bill is named for Trey Carlock, who was assaulted at a Christian summer camp in Branson and later died by suicide.

Spurred by sexual abuse allegations at Branson-area Christian camps, the bill would extend the amount of time survivors have to file civil action against a perpetrator. Survivors would have until age 41 to file civil action, rather than age 31.

Dozens of criminal charges for abuse have been filed against operators of Christian boarding schools in Missouri. Survivors say it was only because of TikTok that law enforcement and the Missouri Attorney General finally took action.

Logan Yandell, a survivor of sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Missouri, alleges that the camp’s CEO misrepresented prior knowledge of past misconduct allegations in order to convince his parents to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

A new federal lawsuit filed against Circle of Hope Girls Ranch, a now-shuttered Christian boarding school in Missouri, says a 13-year-old girl faced “abuse, harassment, forced servitude, assault, fraud” and other mistreatment by the camp owners.

Stephanie Householder, who ran Circle of Hope Girls Ranch with her husband Boyd Householder, faces 21 charges of child abuse and neglect alleged by former students. Her husband, who died last month, had nearly 80 charges that include allegations of sexual abuse.

Boyd Householder faced 78 felony charges — including rape — stemming from his years directing the Circle of Hope Girls Ranch near Humansville. Householder’s wife, Stephanie, is scheduled for her own trial in late October on 21 similar charges.

Three women who say they experienced abuse at religious boarding schools in Missouri staged a demonstration this week in Springfield. Survivors have called on the state attorney general to investigate the private facilities.

A group is demanding Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey begin investigating facilities accused of abuse, like Agape School in Stockton, Circle of Hope Ranch in Humansville and Kanakuk Kamps in Branson. The group is also advocating to extend the statute of limitations.

Holy Trinity Catholic Parish announced earlier this month that Father John Pilcher had been appointed as its senior associate pastor. Pilcher was accused of sexual assault of a minor while working in Topeka, but the Kansas Bureau of Investigation could not substantiate the claims and no charges were filed.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has identified 188 clergy suspected of committing crimes — including sodomy, rape and child rape — and documented how the church covered up the abuse. Plus: Homeowners in Kansas City's Westside may get some relief for sky-high property tax increases.

"We need to hold each other up," says one Kansas City man who was assaulted by his priest. Others tell their stories in a new Netflix documentary shot in Kansas City.