No More Victims LLC, the group behind the Facts About Kanakuk website, said in a statement it has received reports of eight Kanakuk victims whose deaths are suspected to be related to their abuse., The News-Leader reported, One Newman victim, Trey Carlock, died by suicide in 2019 shortly after settling his case with Kanakuk. But I was shocked at the amount of money Joe wanted the nonprofit to pay him for the camp, Neugebauer said. Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Phillips said the non-disclosure agreement Carlock had to sign in the settlement left him scared to speak about his abuse even in therapeutic settings, and that a short statute of limitations can cause survivors to be rushed into civil litigation and burdensome settlements, as she said her brother experienced. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. But by the time new evidence was uncovered through national media investigations, Hoffpauir was too old to file a civil suit against the camp and its leadership. Kanakuk has continued to minimize the reality that they have allowed abuse to flourish. The goal of their efforts are still not clear, but their campaign of misinformation and defamation of Kanakuk and our amazing staff has been ongoing and unrelenting. Survivors of child sexual abuse are attempting to enact laws in Missouri and Texas to change the legal landscape for Christian camps that cater to children and teens. Logan's family says from age 9 to 13, he was sexually abused by Pete Newman, a Kanakuk counselor, and later, camp director. Abuse happens in many contexts. I wanted to extend Joes legacy.. And excuses were made because as Christians we must forgive. Kanakuk leadership received reports of Newman engaged in nude activity with campers as early as 1999, according to an affidavit of Newmans former supervisor. "Kanakuk actively concealed what they knew about the sexual abuse being perpetrated by Pete Newman and induced victims and survivors into settlements and NDAs, said Robert Thrasher, one of Yandell's attorneys, in a news release. We want victims to know that their voices are heard and that we will never stop being sorry for the pain inflicted upon them by these perpetrators. However, survivor advocates say that many of the camps leaders, including Joe White, Kanakuks CEO and board chair, have never been held fully responsible for their leadership failures. There was a mom who drove by somebodys house and saw Newman in a hot tub with boys. Additionally, in conversations with victims and their families, it has been devastating to learn that some of the things we have said in the past have been hurtful that was never our intent. Click To Tweet, Due to the graphic nature of the descriptions & images found in this proof, we've compiled them into a PDF document, Child Sexual Abuse Encompasses a Wide Spectrum of Sexual Acts Enacted on People Below Eighteen Years of Age, investigative piece published in March 2021, , there have been at least two additional deep-dive investigative pieces published detailing the abuse and efforts to curtail discussion of, sexual abuse survivors and/or former employees of, . Prior to that, Smith was Vice President-Mission Advancement for the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Reexamining Kanakuk's Abuse and Struggling to Forgive. The prosecutor who oversaw the case of Peter Newman said the number of victims could be in the hundreds. Lee Bradbury pleaded guilty in 2013 to four sex related charges involving campers at Kanakuk. A 50-page . Weed out the disgusting things and put fear in the hearts of pedophiles and perverts vs making excuses when someone comes forward. Our problem wasnt a lack of information, it was an abundance. The timeline below, drawn from court documents, indicates a troubling delay between Neugebauers call to Pete Newman, the camps reporting to authorities, and Newmans arrest. But Joe did not have that reaction., On March 10th, at 11 a.m., I met with Doug Goodwin and Joe White, wrote Kris Cooper, in a statement. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. We support the right of victims to share their story in pursuit of healing. Further, we will not be surprised and are also fully prepared if future publicity stunts by these groups should include protests, lawsuits, podcasts or other efforts to gain media attention or disrupt our ministry operations. Read a more extensive account of what the new investigations expose here. Many of the allegations in these and previous articles involve incidents from the 1990s, 2000s and early 2010s. Neugebauer noted that White did not have what he perceived to be the normal reactions of a person learning of the abuse for the first time, because White did not want to involve law enforcement. It was just one time.. "We think its going to become pretty apparent from the petition that that wasnt true," Martens said. New Evidence Emerges: Kanakuk Kamp Blocked an Effort to Fire an Employee Later Revealed To Be a Serial Child Abuser Pete Newman's supervisor recommended he be fired in 2003, according to sources. And today I do. Watch Video Victims Speak Out About Sexual Abuse at Kanakuk CBS Dallas/Ft Worth Our desire is to support victims and help them in their healing journey. But he didnt survive past the age of 29, so now I refer to him as a victim, and Im trying to be his voice., Former camper suing Missouri-based Kanakuk claiming fraudulent abuse settlement. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Maybe she called someone elses mom and said, Why is your son over there? Neugebauer says White refused to support an independent investigation and evaluation of the camp by an outside source. Our hope is that every single one would leave Kanakuk with a desire to live the Im Third lifestyle, placing God first, others second, and themselves third. Nobody has resigned as a result of the failure to stop a decade of abuse. A Kanakuk employee told me an attorney recorded a phone call with Pete during which the counselor made incriminating statements. Neugebauers account also lines up with court testimony, which indicates Newman was fired on March 10, 2009, but does not explain why Kanakuk insisted the catalyst for the confession was a letter from an attorney. said Newmans victim count might be in the hundreds. It also implied Newman left voluntarily instead of being terminated. #ProtectChildren, @Kanakuk, release survivors from their NDAs so that they may speak about the childhood sexual abuse they endured at your camp. Instead, White encouraged Neugebauer to forgive Newman and to protect the camp without calling the authorities, according to Neugebauer. He was silenced to his grave. Imagine being sexually abused as a child and being forced to never speak about it with anyone. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. USA Today has a print and digital daily readership of approximately 2.6 million. Five other men who served on Kanakuks staff in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s have been convicted of sex crimes perpetrated after they served on Kanakuk staff. "We know there are several hurdles that we will inevitably meet and were just trying to take it one step at a time to see if we can get him back on the path toward full justice.". Nancy French is aNew York Timesbestselling author. Apr 09, 2021, 11:06 ET. Any victim can reach out to us at victimsupport@kanakuk.com or access several independent victim advocacy organizations such as ChildHelp.org or Rainn.org which can provide access to local support services, reporting assistance, and educational resources. Former Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell, the person who ultimately prosecuted Newman, does not recall what was foundif anythingon these devices. Vicki Morgan, who was Joe Whites secretary from 2005 until 2012, remembered Neugebauer as a Kanakuk parent. My impression after my interactions with the camp was this, he told me during a phone interview. On March 16, White emailed families to tell them Newman had left to deal with a family emergency and to request prayers for Newman. I dont think that person called the cops. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Kanakuk paid $144,296 to K-Land One. The fact is that Kanakuk employees and families, along with Petes family, friends, and closest acquaintances, were deceived by him. The stories were republished the next day by USA Today. A now-27-year-old man who was sexually abused as a child at Kanakuk Kamps in Branson is suing the Christian summer camp, claiming Kanakuk leadership lied to him and his parents about their knowledge of other sexual abuse allegations involving disgraced counselor Peter D. Newman. Remember USA Gymnastics. She added, A few days before my brother died, he told a therapist, They are always going to control me and Ill never be free, she said. Richard AuBuchon, representing American Property Casualty Insurance Association, a national trade association for insurers, and Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition, which represents business interests in Missouris litigation environment, said the bill is unconstitutional, pointing to the revival of claims portion, and said 55 years old is simply too long.. The prosecutor who oversaw the case later estimated the actual number of victims could be in the hundreds.. Hoffpauir was one of several survivors of childhood sexual abuse, including from Kanakuk and Boy Scouts of America, who testified at a House judiciary hearing Monday night in support of a bill that would extend the civil statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. How many victims have to die before the camp is held accountable? The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Joe White continues to seek out any opportunity to meet with victims and their families who will allow him the privilege to share his sincere sorrow and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Bates is a graduate of Harvard College and a member of the Report for America Corps. As soon as Kanakuk became aware of abuse, we took action, including immediate termination, and subsequently reported him to authorities. On April 19 , one victims father attempted to obtain this information by officially submitting a Sunshine Law request regarding the contents of Newmans devices. In 2009, Newmans Kanakuk story came to an end, we wrote. A Texas victims father said Kanakuk told him a lawyer representing another victim arrived at the camp and caused Newman to confess. Following the events of 2009, we created the Kanakuk Child Protection Plan (CPP). For more than a decade, Evan Hoffpauir believed the camp director who sexually abused him at the Branson-area Kanakuk Kamps had acted . Toby Neugebauer is the parent of Kanakuk campers and a longtime supporter of the camp. Kanakuk set out to become an industry leader on the issue of abuse when it launched its own child protection program after Newman's case. There are many false narratives circulating online, including one that states Kanakuk has employed other abusers. The fact is that Kanakuk has employed over 50,000 full-time and summer staff over the past 96 years. In my experience, a person learning of it [for the first time] wouldve had a different reaction, he said. We support the right of victims to share their stories in pursuit of healing. 2023 Kanakuk Ministries. Sorry to you innocent types just wanting to be a good teacher or minister. Jesus did not want any of this. For years, a former staffer at Kanakuk Kamps, one of the country's most popular Christian summer camps, abused dozens of boys. She said a. I respectfully disagree with that comment. Newman confessed after a Texas Kanakuk father confronted Newman and threatened to call the FBI. Kanakuk Kamps, headquartered in Branson, Mo., begins camp terms next week and plans to host 20,000 children this summer. He is dealing with a personal family crisis. Two members of Neugebauers family have corroborated the details of his account and tell me they were told of his efforts contemporaneously: his wife and his father, who is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Branson-based Kanakuk Kamps and its associated ministries area multi-million-dollar global enterprise that includes the largest evangelical sports camp in the world. New allegations of child sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps, Kanakuk Kamps Must Be Held Accountable for Systemic Sexual Abuse, Myriad Survivors Reveal Years of Hidden Institutional Abuse at Kanakuk Kamps, STATEMENT Kanakuk Kamp Leaders Must Be Held Accountable for Child Sexual Abuse. The boys mother reached Neugebauer while Neugebauer was traveling on business in Europe and told him what her son had experienced. In a 2021 phone interview recorded by a reporter, Kanakuk COO. It is an essential part of the healing journey for many, and we support this right and will not stand in the way of any who wishes to do so. Yes, we had background checks and other precautions in place. Since its founding in 1926, it claims to have served more than 450,000 campers. OnSeptember 15, Newman was finally arrested. They bear witness to the truth that while Christ came to save us from sins eternal consequences, sin is still with us and is deceptive, destructive, and evil. We support this right and will not stand in the way of any who wishes to do so. OnMarch 10, Newman confessed and gave White, Goodwin, and Cooper a list of victims names. While we could never keep up with all of our alumni family, we know the vast majority of them have left Kanakuk and gone on to raise amazing families and serve their communities through careers in full-time ministry, law, medicine, science, civil service, teaching, military service, and professional sports. Kanakuk will continue to apply and evaluate our safety practices to help keep Kamp safe and fun for all. Keith Dygert, who said he was abused as a child at Kanakuk Kamps near Branson, testified in support of a bill to extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 13, 2023 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent). By Nancy French and David French Dec 23, 2021 90 In December 2021, The Dispatch published an article that disclosed to the Kanakuk survivor community and general public for the first time that Newman's direct supervisor, Will Cunningham, had, in fact, recommended Newman's termination in 2003 upon receiving more reports of Newman's ongoing sexual abuse of children. I was in advanced discussions with them. So is 55 a reasonable timeframe to push that back? They say they speak for all victims, ignorant of the fact that many victim families continue to support Kanakuk and in some cases, have chosen to work here. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and Twitter. These conversations left him with a distinctively negative impression. Others recall being told that Pete confessed after a parent complained about inappropriate text messages to campers. And I believed this narrative for over a decade.. [Read Kanakuk Letter to NCOSE]. Any victim can reach out to Kanakuk by emailing us at victimsupport@kanakuk.com or access several independent victim advocacy organizations such as ChildHelp.org or Rainn.org, who can provide access to local support services, reporting assistance, and educational resources. We absolutely want to clarify this. Where we have failed in this effort, we are sincerely sorry. Kanakuk abuse survivors urge Missouri lawmakers to extend statute of limitations The House judiciary committee on Monday heard public testimony on a bill that would give childhood sexual abuse survivors the ability to file a civil claim up to age 55. There also seems to be a problem with recruitment screening. And at eight, or 13, or those younger years, when I was trying to tell what happened to me, I didnt have the strength, I didnt have the courage, I didnt have the words or the support. He believed other predators could be at the camp, as well as other victims. This time it involves claims of fraud in a sex abuse scandal. Survivors and family members of victims of sexual abuse at Kanakuk camps testified at a hearing before the Missouri House Judiciary Committee regarding a bill proposed by local state Rep. Brian Seitz to change laws to help survivors of childhood sexual assault. As a world leader among Christian summer camps, Kanakuk provides children with fun, safe and professional outdoor youth camping experiences that grow them spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially. This article was originally published at Ministry Watch. Start your search below to view summer availability. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Pete Newman, who had been a Kanakuk Kamps director, was convicted in 2010 on seven counts of sexually abusing young boys and is now serving two consecutive life sentences plus 30 years. This site operates behind anonymity, and freely spreads defamatory statements and information taken out of context, while attacking anyone who supports Kanakuk. To donate, Documentary On Sexual Abuse Allegations At Christian Camp Kanakuk Wins Emmy, GRACE Finds Sex Abuse Allegations Against Chris Rice Credible, Young Life Accused of Ignoring or Covering Up Allegations of Sexual Misconduct, Why Businessman Peter Chung Matters for the Future of The Kings College. @Kanakuk, acknowledge your complacency in the sexual abuse that went on in your camp. This service is free to readers and other news outlets. Ill never forget that call, Neugebauer said, saying he knew the 13-year-old child to be honest. After hearing the massive sum White requested for the nonprofit purchase, Neugebauer realized this would not be a financially responsible decision. Morgan says the incident involving the camper preceded Newmans confession. Kanakuk leadership maintains that they had no advanced knowledge of his behavior, and Newman was a master of deception., [Leadership] stated they fired Newman as soon as they were aware of his abusive behaviors, and that he acted alone, Hoffpauir said. I took Pete to New York with [Newmans wife]. #ProtectChildren Click To Tweet, @Kanakuk, release survivors from their NDAs so that they may speak about the childhood sexual abuse they endured at your camp. Remember Harvey Weinstein. Newman confessed to his superiors at the camp, and Kanakuk later fired him. Martens said Yandell is leading a successful life now but must still deal with the traumatic effects of being sexually abused as a child. According to Neugebauer, White said, Toby, get on board. Four people testified in opposition to the bill, representing business and insurance with particular opposition to the portion of the bill which opens a window for a revival of claims. Some victims have settlement agreements that involve insurance companies who may choose to defend their interests. However, no camp leadership has resigned, been fired, or been held accountable for their inaction towards adecade of Newmans nudity and parental complaints, even though they promoted Newman and made him the focal point of promotional materials. Tragically more than 12 years ago, one of our staff members was accused and convicted for abusing Kampers. Following the events of 2009, Kanakuk has continued to work tirelessly to help ensure that this deeply deceptive and abusive behavior does not happen again. Since the 1970s, under the leadership of White and his wife Debbie-Jo, Kanakuk has become one of the largest Christian camps in the world. Additionally, Kanakuk set out to elevate our safety practices, which resulted in the Kanakuk Child Protection Plan (the CPP). More:It was just a thing at Kanakuk: Campers and staff say nudity was part of camp culture. Weve seen over 500,000 campers and more than 50,000 summer staff come through these gates, and our goal is to provide a healthy, positive, and welcoming summer home to generations of families. At the time, he believed that successor could be Pete Newman, who was the well-loved and respected camp director, held up by White as a role model. The true fact is that this group is not interested in anything more than furthering their agenda. Pete Newman is the most thorough relationship builder with kids in Kanakuk history, Joe White once said in advertising for a father-son retreat. Joe White, Kanakuks chief executive officer. Additionally, Kanakuk set out to elevate our safety practices, which resulted in the Kanakuk Child Protection Plan. OnApril 23, a Kanakuk attorney offered to meet with Taney County officials. ", More:Kanakuk camper says she was told to apologize, denied call home after reporting abuse. Every summer, parents entrust 20,000 children to leadership with ahistory of turning a blind eye to predation, because there was no way of easily discovering the history. Pete Newman was protected and promoted despite clear reports of sexually abusive behavior, making it extremely unlikely that he was acting alone.. Joe White discouraged the whistleblower from informing law enforcement of Newmans crimes. In the meantime, we continue to pray for all who have been affected by Pete Newmans behavior.". Seven states open the window for two or more years, as this law proposes Missouri do, and two states currently open the window permanently for adult survivors of child sex abuse, according to Child USA. "The only thing that the civil justice system provides to our clients, victims of sexual abuse like Logan, is monetary compensation," Martens said. The actions of Pete Newman are devastating to hear and stand counter to Kanakuks values and mission. And, according to media reports and survivor accounts, Kanakuk has been affiliated with known abusers beyond Newman. She said a counselor named Chuck Price abused her, but it took decades for her to come forward. Many prayers for the victims & their families. We are not aware of any other reports of abuse at Kanakuk. The devil will try to kill & destroy. Its a critical necessity for their healing and restoration. Summer Camp since 1926 - Kanakuk Begin Your Best Summer Ever! Martens said with Friday's lawsuit, Yandell and his family are hoping to get justice. Decades of child sexual abuse reports show that Kanakuk Kamps ignored or covered up this evidence. Kanakuk leadership has consistently said it was not complicit in the sexual abuse perpetrated by Newman and Lee Bradberry (a Kanakuk counselor who pleaded guilty in 2013 to four sex-related charges involving campers at Kanakukbefore he wasfired in 2011). With the release of the new articles, former Kanakuk campers, staff and sexual abuse survivors have come forward from cities that include Dallas and Amarillo, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Nashville, Tenn.; and Fayetteville, Ark. Pete Newman, who had been a Kanakuk Kamps director, was convicted in 2010 on seven counts of sexually abusing young boys and is now serving two consecutive life sentences plus 30 years. Yandell and his parents reached a civil settlement with Kanakuk in 2010 regarding abuse Yandell suffered at the hands of Newman, who is now in prison on two life sentences for sexually abusing multiple children at the evangelical summer camp. Remember the Boy Scouts. "He's one of the most prolific serial abusers that I've ever heard of," French said during Wednesday's St. Louis on the Air. For more than a decade, the camp has been under scrutiny for reports of sexual abuse. Newmans accountability approach to wrongdoing had been used before. As a child growing up in Branson, Hoffpauir was involved with Kanakuks youth ministries, and said he was abused by Kanakuk director Pete Newman from 1999 to 2003. and are interested in counseling, legal resources, or to connect with other survivors, First Baptist Church West Plains breaks ministry partnership with Kankauk over evidence of harm to children, Watch Kanakuk leadership testifying in depositions for the Pete Newman trial making it clear they knew great harms were being committed against children for several years, Survivors, ex-employees say Kanakuk Christian camp ministered to its sexual predators, Read a more extensive account of what the new investigations expose here, USA Today investigative series lead piece: "Survivors, ex-employees say Kankuk Christin camp 'ministered' to its sexual predators, History of Correspondence between NCOSE and Kanakuk, Decades of child sexual abuse reports show that Kanakuk Kamps ignored or covered up this evidence. After Newmans confession, Neugebauer contacted Kanakuk leadership. The e-mail did not mention Newmans sex abuse, law enforcement, or any investigations. One survivor we spoke with said that finally at age 70 he was sharing what happened to him for the first time when he was a young counselor at the camp. While free to share their story, the specific terms of the settlement agreement must remain confidential. A camper immediately reported the suspicious actions of the staff member in accordance with our Child Protection Plan camper training. "I think that one of the most important parts of this for Logan is to be a representative of not only himself, his story and to get his voice back, but also to be a representative for all the other victims who were induced into these settlement agreements under pretty much false pretenses," Martens said. While we may not agree with their statements, the truth is that Pete Newman was a deceptive man who fooled everyone around him including his closest friends and family who knew him best. The bill also includes a retroactive piece, called a window or revival law, which allows cases that were barred or dismissed due to a statute of limitation to be revived during a window of two years. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. She previously wrote for the Nevada Current, where she reported on labor violations in casinos, hurdles facing applicants for unemployment benefits and lax oversight of the funeral industry. While there are still calls for Kanakuk to release victims from NDAs so that they can share their story, and accusations that we are silencing victims, Kanakuk has made it clear that we absolutely support the right of victims to share their story in pursuit of their healing. Kanakuk Kamps, headquartered in Branson, Mo., begins camp terms next week and plans to host 20,000 children this summer. 1 priority. A host of new allegations against Kanakuk have surfaced due to more survivors and witnesses speaking out. Ashton, 11, dressed in a green hat and gray . KANSAS CITY, Mo. Known as a charismatic director and ambassador for the camp prior to his 2009 arrest, Newman was charged with crimes involving six underage victims and admitted during sentencing to having inappropriate activity with as many as 13 more campers, according to past News-Leader reporting. conservative online news outlet The Dispatch, Survivors, ex-employees say unreported abuse at Kanakuk camps in Branson spans decades, It was just a thing at Kanakuk: Campers and staff say nudity was part of camp culture, Kanakuk camper says she was told to apologize, denied call home after reporting abuse, Kanakuk's statement provided in response to the News-Leader's questions, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Newman. We told Pete he could no longer work at Kamp and that he needed to leave Branson that day, Cooper said. We were wrong in our understanding of the language of many of these agreements, and we failed to recognize the restrictions both real and perceived that many victims are under. Shockingly, as a source of information, the NCOSE relied upon a website (run by an anonymous LLC) that claims to share facts but buries the following notice on their Contact page: The material [on this website] is for informational purposes only and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date., Unfortunately, incomplete information on this anonymous website, coupled with inaccuracies reported by several authors and bloggers, have allowed the NCOSE to make the monumental leap from Kanakuk having reported an employee for abuse, to declaring Kanakuk as a mainstream entity for facilitating, enabling, and profiting from abuse and exploitation this is simply not true. Who may choose to defend their interests apply and evaluate our safety practices to help keep safe. 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