Michael Pfau, Vincent Nappo and Benjamin Watson reached a $1.1 million settlement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) on behalf of a survivor of sexual abuse in Tacoma, Washington.
The plaintiff was 5 years old when he was sexually abused by a fourteen-year-old LDS member and volunteer on church premises. The LDS knew that the perpetrator had sexually abused children in the past, but it failed to take corrective action, instead allowing him continued access to children in its care, including the plaintiff.
“Parents trusted that the church was a safe place to bring their children,” said Michael Pfau. “Yet the church knew the volunteer was alleged to have raped a young child just months earlier and failed to inform parents or take any apparent action to supervise or limit his access to children during church activities.”
Media coverage about the settlement:
The Spokesman-Review
The News Tribune
Yahoo News
The Columbian