KEENE (TX)
ChurchLeaders [Colorado Springs CO]
October 7, 2026
By Dale Chamberlain
New details have emerged regarding the arrest of bestselling Christian author Heather Thompson Day and her husband, Seth Day. The couple is facing child abuse charges, and Seth is accused of child sex abuse.
Editor’s note: This article refers to disturbing reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering.
Heather Thompson Day is a Christian speaker, podcaster, and the author of several books, including “What If I’m Wrong?: Navigating the Waves of Fear and Failure” and “It’s Not Your Turn: What To Do While You’re Waiting for Your Breakthrough.” Her work has been featured by Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Barna Group, and Newsweek.
Seth Day is an assistant professor of psychology at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU). Following his arrest, he was placed on leave from the school.
The couple coauthored the book “I’ll See You Tomorrow: Building Relational Resilience When You Want To Quit.”
On Sept. 24, the couple was taken into custody by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Texas.
Heather has been charged with injury to a child by omission. Seth was charged with injury to a child, as well as one count of sexual assault of a child.
According to Spectrum Magazine, criminal complaint documents detail allegations that Seth Day physically and sexually abused his daughter.
According to the documents, the daughter told local hospital staff that on Sept. 22, the same day she alleged that Seth struck her multiple times with a cellphone, causing bruises and lacerations, that “[Seth Day] engaged in sexual intercourse with [her] on her bed.”
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The criminal complaint indicates that the daughter “was very timid about details and stipulated to the details of the sexual assault as ‘yucky,’” according to Spectrum Magazine.
Spectrum Magazine reported that authorities executed a search warrant on the home and found personal lubricant where the daughter described it could be found. Investigators also examined the girl’s bed with black lights and found evidence consistent with her allegations.
The criminal complaint indicates that investigators “were unable to reasonably conclude” that what they found in the girl’s bedroom was from “any normal or ‘regular’ activity of a child her age.”
According to Spectrum Magazine, investigators also found bloodied paper towels in a bathroom of the home. The girl had indicated that she used the paper towels to clean blood off of her phone after allegedly being struck by Seth.
The daughter alleged that Heather was present when Seth allegedly struck her with her phone during a fit of rage but that Heather did not intervene or report Seth to authorities.
Heather is accused of covering up her daughter’s wounds from previous alleged physical assaults from Seth and feigning ignorance when asked about wounds by medical professionals.
The Days told investigators that the wounds that investigators observed on their daughter are the result of an autoimmune disorder and not physical assault.
Both Seth and Heather have been released on bond. An emergency 91-day protective order has been put in place barring the couple from communicating with their children.
During her bond hearing, Heather was visibly distressed and told the judge, “This is not true.”
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“I’m a professor of communication. My husband’s a pastor,” she added. “This is not true.”
“I have had so much documentation for my daughter. I cannot believe this is happening,” she later said. “My world’s upside down.”
After Heather inquired about the possibility of adjustments being made to the protective order, the judge explained the legal processes involved, adding, “It’s a very serious charge against you and your husband.”
Heather later told the judge that her daughter “has mental health issues.”
During a bond hearing for his child injury charge, Seth inquired about his wife. He also noted that his situation is “not looking good.”
“I mean, I’m not getting out of here,” said Seth. “I don’t have $100,000…I can’t believe this.”
In a subsequent bond hearing for his child sex abuse charge, Seth remained mostly silent.
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If convicted, Heather Thompson Day faces up to 10 years in prison. If convicted, Seth Day could face a maximum sentence of 109 years in prison.
This article has been updated to strengthen attribution to the reporting of Spectrum Magazine.