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Two sisters from Virginia have filed separate $150 million lawsuits against Bethany Place Church, Coastal Church, and a former youth group assistant, alleging years of childhood sexual abuse that began when they were just 6 and 10 years old, The Christian Post revealed, per MSN.
The suits, filed by 25-year-old “R.T.” of Richmond and 29-year-old “S.T.” of Chesterfield, claim they were repeatedly abused between 2006 and 2009 by Gerald R. Thomas, then a youth group worker at Bethany Place Church. The church was later acquired by Coastal Church and now operates as its Bethany Campus.
Gerald R. Thomas, now 75, pled guilty in 2010 to aggravated sexual battery involving the two sisters, and again in 2020 to the aggravated sexual battery of a third minor, identified in court records as Jane Doe. According to the lawsuits, Thomas “is on indefinite supervised probation and has been Court ordered to participate in sex offender treatment.”
The legal complaints accuse the churches and Thomas of assault and battery, gross negligence, breach of duty of care, reckless retention, and vicarious liability. The sisters are seeking $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages each, along with pre- and post-judgment interest.
An attorney for the sisters stated that the trauma has only become fully clear as the women entered adulthood. “The effects of those acts aren’t fully appreciated and aren’t fully understood until they grow older and they start to recognize the lasting effects that that has on their day-to-day lives, and that’s the case here,” the attorney told central Virginia news station WWBT.
The lawsuits allege that Thomas groomed the girls by separating them from peers during weekly youth meetings and, at times, assaulted them in the presence of others. “And in some instances, in front of and in the presence of other persons while he placed his hand beneath their clothing,” the attorney said.
In October 2009, the younger sister disclosed the abuse to her mother in the presence of a church staff member. Church officials allegedly promised that Thomas would be removed from youth activities, but no report was made to authorities, and the abuse continued. An investigation was only launched after one sister disclosed the abuse to a school counselor.
“It was time to say something and not just hold this man responsible for what he did to them, but to hold these institutions responsible for permitting it to take place,” said the attorney.
Coastal Church, which absorbed Bethany Place Church two years ago, responded to the lawsuit by distancing itself from the events, stating: “The lawsuit concerns a tragic incident that occurred at Bethany Place 16 years ago involving the abuse of children. The individual responsible was identified, convicted, and incarcerated.”
In its statement, Coastal Church said, “Bethany Place Church is now under different leadership than at the time of the incident 16 years ago. At Coastal, the safety of our children is a top priority. We take all matters involving abuse and sexual misconduct with utmost seriousness.”
Attorneys for the sisters argue that Coastal Church assumed both existing and future liabilities when it acquired Bethany Place Church.
Are You An SBC Sexual Assault Survivor? Learn About Your Rights To Pursue Justice
If you or someone you care about was abused by a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, you are not alone. Learn more about your legal rights and how to take the next step toward justice by visiting our comprehensive SBC sexual abuse lawsuit guide: https://survivorsrights.com/southern-baptist-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-guide/
