Five Victory Christian Center employees who were suspended after allegedly not reporting a child sex abuse case at the church will be back at work by the end of October.The move was announced on the church’s website over the weekend.
Part of the statement issued for the Victory Christian Center Congregation said:
“Each employee has been met with, counseled on the seriousness of their failure and notified of all the disciplinary consequences invoked upon them including changes in responsibilities, accountability and reporting relationships.”
In addition the church says that both the youth and human resources department have been restructured.
Paul Wilemstein, Anna George, Harold "Frank" Sullivan, Charica Daugherty and John Daugherty are all charged with misdemeanor failure to report child abuse.
Sullivan is the director of Human Resources at VCC. John is the son of VCC pastor, Sharon Daugherty, Charica is his wife. The five VCC staff members all entered not guilty pleas.
The charges stem from allegations of a rape at the center on August 13th. Former VCC employee Chris Denman, 20, was charged with first degree rape of a victim under 14, forcible oral sodomy, lewd molestation and the use of a computer to facilitate a sex crime. The alleged victim's mother said the incident happened in August, and she did not hear about it until more than two weeks later.
Another former VCC employee, Israel Castillo, is charged with propositioning a 15-year old at the church and online.
A spokesman for Victory Christian Center says the five staff members will be reinstated as full time employees on October 27th at midnight. All of the employees will be back at work by October 29th.
Another excerpt from the church’s statement says:
“We believe these decision, while difficult, were necessary and appropriate in moving forward with our process of strengthening and improving our ministry. I am confident these steps will help us stay focused on our mission of reaching people with the love of God.”
