Amish accused of shunning, not reporting, molester
Four Amish leaders have been charged with failing to report suspected child abuse after they chose to shun an accused child molester in their community rather than turn him in to authorities.
Each of the four bishops in rural Webster County, Mo., has been charged with a misdemeanor charge of failure to report child abuse as a mandatory reporter, according to the Associated Press. Under Missouri law, the AP reports, people with “responsibility for the care of children” – including doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers and ministers – are required to report suspected abuse.
Charged were bishops Emmanuel M.S. Eicher, 44, Peter M. Eicher, 59, Jacob P. Schwartz, 79, and Christian J.F. Schwartz, 41.
Authorities say the four men knew that a member of their community, Johnny A. Schwartz, 36, had abused two underage children from June 2007 through June 2008. Schwartz was charged in mid-October with six counts involving sexual abuse of children.
Authorities would not say how Schwartz and the bishops with the same surname are related, the AP reports. They also would not release the ages of the children or their relationship to Johnny Schwartz.
Sheriff Roye H. Cole said authorities found out about the alleged abuse from someone who works among the them, the AP reports. That individual, who has not been identified, had heard about Schwartz being shunned by the community and asked why.
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Categories: Amish, Church and State
