Victim speaks to WREG after filing sexual abuse report against former church worker

By Bridget Chapman
WREG
November 21, 2016

http://wreg.com/2016/11/21/former-church-worker-accused-of-abusing-children/

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Three men are speaking out after they say a church worker sexually abused them in Collierville when they were teens.

One of them has filed a report and the two others said they're getting one filed now.

Kenny Stubblefield was only 16 years old when it happened, but he still remembers every detail of the night he said he was sexually assaulted by someone at his church.

"I'm just like eyes wide open," said Stubblefied. "By the next morning when the sun came up, I had to convince myself that it was my fault. I had to convince I'd done something to deserve it and I needed to stay quiet."

Less than a year later, he said he found out he wasn't alone.

"I was a different kid," he said. "I had retreated into myself."

Two of his best friends said they had similar experiences with the same worker from what used to be Immanuel Baptist Church in the '90s. They went to their head pastor who they say, told them to keep quiet.

"The way he handled the situation was more painful than even the abuse, the physical abuse," Stubblefield said.

The worker was fired, but the victims told WREG nothing else was ever done. They later found out their abuser worked for the City of Memphis at the library. Stubblefield filed a report two weeks ago.

"We want him stopped," said Stubblefield. "We believe there are a lot more victims out there in Memphis right now that were abused by Chris and we want them to come forward and tell their story."

Memphis police confirmed Christopher Carwile is being accused of these crimes. The city also said he's on paid leave linked to the investigation.  Police are encouraging any victims to come forward.

"When a kid comes to you and says something inappropriate might've happened, don't leave it there," said Stubbledfield. "Dig. Ask questions. Get to the bottom of it."

The church Carwile was connected with has since gone into a lease agreement with Highpoint Church. They released a statement saying they've redefined their relationship with the church after hearing the allegations and noted how Highpoint Church didn't exist at the time of them.

We tried to reach the pastor who the victims said they reported the abuse to but have not heard back.

The support group "SNAP" is calling for the pastor's resignation.