I’m not an atheist, never have been. I am a Christian..
Posted on 06/27/2014 9:09:58 AM PDT by Colofornian
Lawsuit claims teen girl was repeatedly abused by Mormon missionary in 1985 in Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert.
PALM SPRINGS – A lawsuit filed Friday against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a church bishop and a missionary, claims a woman was repeatedly sexually abused when she was a teenager in Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert, and it was covered up.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Riverside County Superior Court in Palm Springs, contends that from July to November 1985, Jacqueline Tyler, then 13, was repeatedly abused by a missionary and that after a church bishop learned of the alleged abuse, her family was told to stay quiet and the bishop "made advance payment or partial payment of damages as an accommodation to plaintiff."
It adds that as a result of the alleged abuse, Tyler gave birth to a son on June 30, 1986.
Tyler contends she was sexually abused at least once a week. And that after she became pregnant, the lawsuit claims that the missionary paid for her to go to New York, where he attempted to cause her to miscarry "by physically abusing her body."
Tyler told the local bishop of the alleged abuse, her attorney Michael J. Kinslow said Friday, adding that rather than report the incident to authorities the bishop sought to send Tyler "out of the area and take the child from her and give it to another Mormon couple to raise."
Tyler "refused that plan," Kinslow said. "She has raised the young man and he is now 27 years old. He and mom are still in contact, and he understands that this is his mother, and that this is the person who has loved him throughout his life. It could have been a very different story if she had followed the plans of the church."
The missionary, described only as being in his 20s at the time, began working for a Mormon church in Palm Desert near where Tyler and her family lived, according to Kinslow.
According to state civil codes, the defendants are not named in the suit because a judge has to determine, as part of the legal process, whether the suit's allegations are valid. Once a judge has determined the suit has merit then the names of the defendants can be made public.
Also according to state civil codes, sexual abuse claims such as this one can be made years after the alleged abuse took place. The plaintiff must lodge the suit within three years of determining that she suffers from psychological damage caused by the alleged abuse.
Tyler, according to her suit, "continues to suffer great pain of mind and body, shock, emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, discharge, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life; (she has been) prevented and will continue to be prevented from performing ... daily activities and obtaining the full enjoyment of life."
"These things are very difficult, and there is a lot of humiliation, a lot of shame and a lot of fear that is put in to you," Tyler, 42, said Friday. "Because of the nature of crime, people are afraid to come forward, and when I did come forward, there was failure to act on multiple levels."
A representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could not be reached for comment Friday.
This type of lawsuit is one of many that have been brought against secular and religious organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Mormon church and the Catholic church during the past decade.
In January, two Salt Lake City men, ages 41 and 42, sued the Mormon church claiming they were sexually molested in Hawaii after the church recruited them to work at a pineapple farm there. The alleged abuse, they said, took place in the late 1980s and was committed by a Mormon missionary who was a leader at one of the church's camps.
In response to the Hawaii suit, Cody Craynor, a spokesman for the church, told The Salt Lake Tribune: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for abuse of any kind and works actively to prevent abuse. ... The church will examine the allegations and respond appropriately."
This isn’t about money but child sexual abuse. Mr R and I went to school with this girl and there is a history of sexual abuse coverups in these wards in that area.
oh knock it off. Mormons are not Christians and this about sexual abuse.
No it took her 28 years to find out that the LDS church is responsible and that their coverup was illegal. I know this girl, it isn’t about money. The LDS church is big on emotional and spiritual blackmail.
How are the parents guilty?
I do not go to an atheist for a definition of Christianity.
I’m not an atheist, never have been. I am a Christian and as a Christian I know LDS are not, and other Christians agree Mormons are not Christians. NO Church accepts LDS baptism but does accept baptism/confirmation from other Christian churches.
Mormon theology makes them not Christian.
I’m not an atheist, never have been. I am a Christian..
Failure to supervise and protect their 13 year old child. They should have noticed that their youngster was hanging out in private with a man in his 20s.
“The plaintiff must lodge the suit within three years of determining that she suffers from psychological damage caused by the alleged abuse. “
If it took her 24 years to suddenly discover she suffers from psychological damage, she isn’t suffering from psychological damage. Let her be thankful that I won’t be on her jury when she tries for her jackpot.
She’d be better off if she found a Christian church to join.
He isn’t. Again, doctrine matters. :D
// They should have noticed that their youngster was hanging out in private with a man in his 20s.//
It is clear you are unaware of the facts. She wasn’t ‘hanging out’ he was housed in the area, at church, it is not uncommon for missionaries to be at the church or at members houses for a period of time. She was repeated raped, not in love with him and then told she had to ‘do the right thing’ and give the baby to a family he chose and keep quiet about it. Their only ‘crime’ was trusting the OTHERS who were supposed to be supervising her at church when this happened. Also, a big part of the blame is this boy’s ‘Missionary companion’ who is to be by his side 24/7 with only privacy for 5 minute bathroom breaks and 15 minute showers. The ‘companion’ failed this girl.
The Church tried to blackmail the parents (not uncommon in Mormonism and especially this ward).
Actually it can be that long. Look at some of the studies. Also,she was told that God wanted this. Her family backed down. This isn’t about money. Like I said I went to school with this girl as did my husband.
Sadly, to my knowledge this girl, like many who leave Mormonism, has become Atheist.
And she isn’t the only one in that Stake (similar to Catholic diocese) this has happened to. I know of others.
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