Police in Ormond Beach, Florida, are investigating the staff of Riverbend Community Church and Riverbend Academy in connection with allegations of abuse, and are asking potential victims to come forward.
The allegations, which have been under review since Aug. 18, date back to the early 2000s and investigators are “working to determine if there are any current victims,” a police department press release said.
“Please remember this is an active and ongoing investigation,” Police Chief Jesse Godfrey said in a statement Tuesday. “We take these allegations very seriously and are committed to supporting potential victims and protecting this community, all while conducting a thorough and impartial investigation.”
Joe Teich, who attended Riverbend Community Church with his family for 10 years, told WESH 2 that his daughter was interviewed by investigators this week and she shared things with him that made him “angry.”
“She had an interview yesterday, and she called me and told me about it,” Teich said. “She mentioned a few things. I was just angry at some of the things I did hear. I don’t know how far they went, but I was very angry.”
He further noted that both he and his daughter are grateful for the investigation being conducted.
“I am more than grateful. So is my daughter. I think justice should be served,” he said.
In a public statement shared on the church’s Facebook page last Friday, Riverbend Community Church elders said they were unaware of the abuse allegations before they were alerted by police.
“We were not aware of these things and are brokenhearted to learn about egregious sin in our church’s past. We as elders, and we as a church, are deeply saddened and grieve for all who have been abused in any way,” the elders said.
They invited victims of the alleged abuse to contact them as well so that they can “know the truth and set things right.”
“We condemn abuse, and we stand against any actions to cover up or conceal sin. We desire to humbly listen to anyone who would like to speak with us. We desire to know the truth and set things right. We continue to pray for those who have suffered abuse,” they added.
“We believe that the church above all should be a people who clearly demonstrate Christlikeness in every way. We acknowledge that the things we are learning do not reflect Christ. We condemn them with deep conviction. These things are all very new to us, and we are humbly committed to truth, safety, transparency, and justice as we work through this.”
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