Church Elder Arrested, Admits to Repeated Sexual Assault of Young Child

A church elder in Winthrop Harbor was arrested after admitting to repeatedly sexually assaulting a child, beginning when she was as young as six years old. The victim, who is under 13, described the abuse as involving intimate acts while she watched videos on a phone, a detail that was corroborated by investigators.

Greg R. Douma, 58, was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and incest following a report from a child advocacy center. The allegations came to light when the victim, a patient at a mental health facility, disclosed the abuse to staff, prompting a police investigation.

Douma, who served as an elder at The Point church and was involved in its children’s ministry, confessed to the abuse during a police interview. He admitted the assaults occurred on and off over the years, with the most frequent incidents happening in the past two years.

The victim explained that Douma told her the acts were illegal and threatened her with divorce if she spoke out. Despite these threats, she eventually decided to come forward, leading to Douma’s arrest and a formal confession.

Douma was ordered held in jail on a $50,000 bond after appearing in court. He is set to appear again on December 16 for a preliminary hearing, where the severity of his potential sentence will be determined. (Proverbs 31:8-9)

The church has removed Douma from its website and YouTube channels, acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations. The case highlights the need for accountability and protection of vulnerable individuals. (Ephesians 5:11)

Source: Read the original report