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Two women have filed lawsuits against the Salvation Army, alleging that church leaders ignored warnings about a youth pastor who sexually abused children at a suburban Chicago community center during the late 1990s, WGN reported.
The lawsuits, filed November 10 in Cook County Circuit Court, accuse the organization of allowing Brian Davis to continue working with children despite reports of inappropriate conduct.
Three women, now in their 30s, came forward publicly the following day to describe abuse they say occurred while they participated in youth programs at the Salvation Army’s Tri-City Corps in St. Charles, Illinois.
The third woman has indicated that she also intends to file a lawsuit.
According to WGN-TV’s reporting, the women contend that church officials knew about Davis’ behavior but failed to intervene.
The allegations raise questions about how the Salvation Army responded to complaints involving children in its care and why survivors are still seeking institutional accountability more than two decades later.
Former Youth Pastor Pleaded Guilty in 2003
Davis worked with children participating in Salvation Army youth programs at the Tri-City Corps Community Center.
According to the new lawsuits, he used his position of authority to groom and sexually abuse girls who attended church activities during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
One plaintiff alleges that the abuse began when she was 13 and continued for approximately two years. Another says she was 11 when she joined the youth group and subsequently experienced abuse at the church, community center and other locations.
The abuse eventually led to a criminal prosecution.
In 2003, Davis pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Kane County. He received 36 months of probation and 60 days of periodic imprisonment and was required to register as a sex offender.
The new civil lawsuits aren’t seeking to retry that criminal case. Instead, they focus on the Salvation Army’s alleged responsibility for allowing Davis continued access to children.
When Institutions Fail to Protect Children From Sexual Abuse
Churches, youth programs and other organizations may face civil lawsuits when they ignore warnings about sexual misconduct or fail to protect children in their care.
Learn how institutional sexual abuse lawsuits work, who may be held responsible and what legal options may be available to survivors.
Lawsuits Claim Church Officials Ignored Warnings
The complaints allege that Salvation Army leaders received warnings about Davis but didn’t take sufficient steps to protect children.
One allegation involves a social services director who reportedly learned about Davis’ inappropriate conduct and failed to intervene.
The women also claim that adults associated with the organization discouraged disclosures and pressured children to remain silent.
During a news conference Wednesday, one survivor said she had been told to lie about what happened. Another described the lasting impact of believing that adults in positions of authority had failed to protect her.
The lawsuits name the Salvation Army’s USA Central Territory, Tri-City Corps and National Corporation as defendants.
They accuse the organization of negligence and other failures connected to the alleged abuse.
A central question is whether the organization had enough information to recognize the danger Davis posed and prevent further misconduct.
The women are seeking financial damages and changes to how the Salvation Army responds to reports of sexual abuse.
Salvation Army Says It Learned of Complaints in 2025
The Salvation Army has offered a different account of when it became aware of the allegations.
In a statement reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, a spokesperson said the organization learned in early 2025 of four complaints involving Davis and alleged misconduct with teenage girls dating to the 1990s.
The organization said it began reviewing the allegations and communicating with claimants and their representatives.
According to the statement, the complaints have gone through mediation, with one resolved and others remaining under discussion.
The Salvation Army also pointed to its Safe From Harm program, established in 2001, which includes screening, training and reporting procedures intended to protect children and vulnerable individuals.
The organization said Davis hasn’t been affiliated with the Salvation Army for more than two decades and won’t be permitted to work or serve with it again.
The newly filed lawsuits, however, dispute whether officials acted appropriately when concerns first arose.
Other Salvation Army Abuse Cases Add to Scrutiny
The St. Charles allegations aren’t the first involving sexual misconduct within Salvation Army programs in the Chicago area.
In 2016, the organization faced a negligence lawsuit involving allegations that two minors were sexually abused at the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood.
Another case involved John Kim, a former youth pastor at the Salvation Army’s Mayfair Community Church.
Kim pleaded guilty to aggravated battery charges in 2024 following allegations of sexual abuse involving a minor.
