5 More Members of the Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses were charged for molesting children, the youngest age among the victims is 4.
5 Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses community was charged during the investigation done by Pennsylvania grand jury on the case of abuse children as young as 4 years old.
Five members of Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses were charged, including David Balosa, Errol William Hall, Shaun Sheffer, Terry Booth, and Luis Ayala-Velasquez. Four of them were arrested, but Balosa was still being sought. It is unclear whether the arrested members have legal representation.
The ongoing investigation has now identified a total of 14 suspects.
Pennsylvania Attorney General, Michelle Henry, highlighted that although the misconduct in the Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses community occurred over many years, the trauma persists for the victims. The handling of complaints by the church was not addressed directly, but the investigation will continue.
Critics argue that the Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses elders have treated child abuse as a sin rather than a crime, keeping records of complaints internally and failing to report them to authorities. Additionally, they claim that the Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses church often required a second witness to validate a complaint, which can be difficult to achieve when victims are frequently isolated by their abusers.
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The Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses state that their policy of the “second-witness rule” is only for matters related to internal church discipline, and that their elders also comply with mandated-reporting laws.
However, the grand jury obtained records showing an internal investigation into one of the accused’s conduct, and alleged victims testified that they informed elders about the abuse, but there is no evidence that any elder contacted the police.
Martin Haugh, a former elder who advocates for survivors of abuse in the Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses church, hopes that elders who knew about child abuse and covered it up will be arrested, along with organizational leaders who should be held accountable.
The charges revealed that the accused members of Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses community had groomed or gained access to children through the church, sometimes when the child’s family provided them with shelter. The allegations varied in severity, ranging from rape to inappropriate touching.
The Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses church spokesman has stated that they cannot comment on specific grand jury actions but they are saddened by any news of abuse. The Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses church has been working to educate and warn parents about protecting their children and supports those affected by abuse.
The grand jury investigation into Pennsylvania Jehovah’s Witnesses began after a referral from a county prosecutor, similar to investigations into Catholic priests.
Ex-Elder Haugh believes that this issue extends beyond Pennsylvania and is a national problem.
Read More| Authorities charge 5 more in probe of child sexual abuse among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Pennsylvania
