Pittsburgh Megachurch Sued Over Alleged Sexual Assault of Special-Needs Minor During Youth Group Event

The Bible Chapel, a nondenominational megachurch in McMurray, Pennsylvania, has become the subject of a lawsuit following an alleged sexual assault involving a special-needs minor. The church’s special-needs ministry advertises itself as a safe space for individuals with disabilities, emphasizing that all staff and volunteers are “rigorously screened, cleared, and trained.” However, a family claims the church negligently allowed a known sexual predator to abuse their 13-year-old son, who has Down syndrome.

According to the family’s attorneys, the assault occurred on January 5 during a youth group event at the church. The alleged perpetrator, Daniel Gould, is an adult on the autism spectrum. Both individuals were participants in the special-needs ministry. The attorneys’ statement claims the abuse lasted more than seven minutes and ended only after other children who witnessed the assault alerted youth group leaders. During that time, the abuser, the victim, and the other children had no adult supervision. The church did not inform the child’s father about the abuse until he arrived around 8:30 p.m. to pick up his son.

The lawsuit alleges that Gould was supposed to be supervised by his father at all times due to previous bad behavior. One of those incidents involved a sexual assault of another minor at the church. Attorneys claim Bible Chapel was also aware that Gould had been banned from attending a previous church due to “similar misconduct.” The entire assault was captured on surveillance video, but police declined to file criminal charges, stating that both individuals involved were special needs.

In addition to negligence, the family is suing Bible Chapel Ministries, the parent organization that operates multiple church campuses, for violating Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law. The lawsuit claims the church failed to remove the alleged abuser, inform the congregation of the abuse, or alert law enforcement or ChildLine. On January 6, the victim’s parents contacted Pastor Brad Sommerfeldt to confirm mandatory reporters affiliated with the church had notified authorities, but no report was filed until January 7, when the victim’s mother and trauma therapist separately reported the incident to ChildLine.

The case raises significant concerns about the safety and oversight of special-needs ministries within megachurches. It highlights the need for accountability and transparency in such programs, particularly when it comes to protecting vulnerable individuals. The legal proceedings will determine whether the church’s actions met the standards expected of organizations responsible for the care and safety of minors.

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