Authorities investigate abuse allegations against Pevely-area church day care employees

Leader Publications
February 04, 2020

https://bit.ly/31GBmdd

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and state authorities are investigating abuse allegations against former employees at a day care program run by Victory Church, 1 Victory Drive, southwest of Pevely.

The Victory Children’s Center of Victory Church is under investigation, Sheriff’s Office Capt. Gary Higginbotham said Jan. 31.

On Jan. 15, the Children’s Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services notified the Sheriff’s Office that it was investigating alleged abuse that occurred this year, Higginbotham said.

“It’s physical abuse allegations. Two victims, juveniles,” Higginbotham said of the recent allegations. “(The Children’s Division) does the investigation on the children. We do the criminal investigation. Apparently, the suspects no longer work there.”

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said the Sheriff’s Office is also investigating reports of abuse that allegedly occurred in late 2017.

Those allegations also involve physical abuse, Higginbotham said.

“The most recent allegation came to us on January 15,” Bissell said. “During talks about that incident, we were told about the allegations from 2017. To be clear, the incident from this year and those from 2017 are separate. The suspects are different from 2017 and this year.”

In a Jan. 29 letter addressed to parents and posted on the Victory Church website, Associate Pastor Sam Keich said representatives visited the day care on Jan. 15.

“This was in response to an allegation that on the day before, a teacher had handled a child roughly, causing a red mark on the child’s skin,” the letter said. “In the course of their visit, DSS received another allegation that a second teacher had similarly interacted with children in a rough and aggressive manner.

“Immediately after this information was disclosed to us by DSS, the two teachers were suspended so the allegations could be reviewed by senior staff. Based upon our findings, we subsequently released the two teachers from employment. The director is no longer employed at VCC, and a new management team was put into place. Parents of affected children have been contacted.”

In a phone interview, Keich said he could not comment further on the situation.

Lisa Cox, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services communications director, said that while Victory Children’s Center is operated by a religious organization and thus classified as a license-exempt facility, the state retains some oversight powers.

“DHSS’ involvement in a complaint investigation at a child care facility operated by a religious organization is to ensure compliance with state laws and health and safety rules,” Cox said.