Just months after three former employees filed a lawsuit against Grace Community Church (GCC) for what they claim was wrongful dismissal, the prominent church is facing another legal action.
A plaintiff identified as Jane Doe, along with three minors, is suing the church over allegations that it aided and abetted an alleged child abuser. According to The Christian Post, the complaint was filed against the church and an individual named Clinton Jung in September.
Doe was reportedly married to Jung and, in 2021, alerted church leaders, alleging that he had sexually abused their toddler-aged daughter. Rather than report the allegations to the authorities, she claims church leaders attempted to conceal Jung’s abuse and advised her to continue to “submit” to his authority.
“At numerous points, the Church colluded with Clinton to force the plaintiff to remain in the home with him and under his control, despite knowing he had engaged in domestic violence and was likely to do so again in the future,” the complaint states.
The suit alleges that when Doe and her children left Jung, church leaders testified on his behalf, urging the courts to grant him weekly supervised visitation. During one of these visits, Jung allegedly sexually assaulted one of the minors.
According to the suit, a district attorney was unable to file charges against Jung because they could not prove intent beyond reasonable doubt. The lawsuit cites a 2023 letter from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office calling for an investigation into the officers involved and rebuking the church over its handling of the alleged incident.
“[T]he pastor and elders at Grace Community Church muddled what could have been helpful evidence as to [Clinton’s] intent,” the letter states.