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Hi - I’m Reed. I am an experienced attorney licensed to practice law in Missouri and Kansas. I am an advocate for each and every client and my passion is representing and fighting for victims of child abuse. My team and I are ready to help you.
In recent months, former students from Alabama, Texas and Michigan have come forward and have filed two lawsuits against Agape Boarding School for multiple alleged incidents of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse while under their care. Agape Boarding School is a Missouri-based private boarding school for boys, owned and operated by Agape Baptist Church. The lawsuits were filed in the Circuit Court of Cedar County, Missouri, and the plaintiffs are being represented by Monsees & Mayer P.C., Abuse Guardians local counsel in Missouri.
In the complaint filed on August 7, 2021, Alabama plaintiff shared his allegations of abuse while being under the custody of Agape Boarding School from approximately March 2012 to March 2013. Plaintiff was allegedly physically, sexually, and emotionally abused while under the care and supervision of Agape, from multiple employees of the school. The plaintiff also had a medical condition, Major Depressive Disorder, that required specialized care from a qualified party, which was not provided by Agape.
On September 2, 2021, a Texas resident shares his story, stating between the dates of August 2019 through Spring 2021, there were multiple incidents of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse. Prior to arriving at Agape, there had been an existing history of physical and emotional abuse from another resident in custody at the boarding school from a former staff member Jacob Mayer, who was later charged and plead guilty to multiple charges of child molestation.
On August 6, 2021, a current resident in Michigan files his complaint, sharing his allegations when he was under the care of Agape Boarding School from Spring 2007 to Fall of 2012. He suffered from a repressed memory of the abuse he endured until April of 2021, where he spoke out and shared his story of being physically, sexually, and emotionally abused by multiple employees as well as his peers within the boarding school.
At Abuse Guardians, we are here to help those survivors get justice and bring out the truth as to what happened to them so that we can hold those responsible accountable and ensure we put an end to the suffering of others who are currently at the facility.
We encourage survivors to join our brave clients in stepping forward to get justice. Know this. You are NOT alone.
We encourage the following groups of people to step forward in confidence:
When ready to get justice, contact the local authorities and our team of former prosecutors. We will advise you as to your legal rights, make you aware of the process, and give you all the information we can so you can decide if you would like to move forward with a civil claim against the school, and all those who enabled the abuse to occur. Learn more about your legal options by contacting our Missouri sex assault lawyers.
As part of our typical review of a case, we look at the various review platforms to see what complaints exist.
In reviewing Agape School's listing on Google Maps, we saw 65 Google Reviews as of 2/15/2021, with an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars. The most recent review was published approximately 2 years ago, left by parents who were pleased with the services. In some of the reviews going back further, concerned parents and patients who were treated there left poor reviews speaking of curriculum, health care and aggression between students.
On Yelp there are another 51 reviews, this time with a rating of 2.5 stars out of 5, as of 2/15/2021, with 6 recent reviews being published in 2021. Of these most recent reviews, many do not seem to from actual parents or children, but from concerned community members. Going back further, former students have left extended reviews with their poor personal experiences.
The school was started in the early 1990s as a group home in Washington State a part of Agape Baptist Church. In the mid-1990s, the home was cited by Child Welfare officials for overcrowding and poor sanitation. A year after receiving the citation, the school moved to a ranch in Missouri due to the lack of state regulations. The Christian boarding school has around 150 boys aging from 12-17 enrolled. Their website claims that it is an 'effective and affordable program for teenage boys with behavioral, motivational or academic struggles.'
When our team of lawyers first heard of the horrific abuse, neglect and conditions from parents and children who have had experiences at Agape, we were angry.
If your child is currently at Agape and you believe they are in danger, contact local authorities and do as much as you can to remove them from the school to a safe location.
The process can be overwhelming and that is where we are here to help. Contact our team of lawyers and we will help guide you through the process of reporting the child abuse or sexual assault at Agape to local authorities.
If you would like more information on your legal rights after learning or experiencing sexual or child abuse at Agape School, give us a call. Our lawyers have now filed a lawsuit against the Agape Baptist Church and Boarding School through the Cedar County Circuit Court in Missouri.
Our team of experienced boarding school sexual abuse lawyers are here to help you. If you or your child has experienced any type of abuse, neglect or sexual assault while attending Agape Boarding School, give us a call and we can help you understand your options. Should you wish to file an Agape sex abuse lawsuit, we will do what needs to be done to get justice.
For more information on trauma associated with private boarding schools, read "Boarding School Syndrome: The psychological trauma of the 'privileged' child" by Joy Schaverien.
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