INDIANA
NWI Times
Bob Kasarda bob.kasarda@nwi.com, (219) 548-4345
VALPARAISO — Police say a man serving as a youth pastor at Emanuel Baptist Church in South Haven had inappropriate sexual contact with two girls from the church, including one who had confided with him that she had suffered abuse at home.
Timothy Lawrence, 30, of the 700 block of McCool Road in South Haven, is charged with three felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. He had not been arrested yet as of late Friday morning.
The abuse allegedly took place between November 2013 and July 2014, according to court records.
One of the girls, who was at least 14 but younger than 16, told police Lawrence was a big part of her life because of her bad home life. She considered church her escape, police said.
She said Lawrence began touching her during a car ride home and then began texting nude photographs and a video of himself and asking her to do the same, police said. The level and instances of touching then accelerated, she said.
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