By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 2, 2026 at 7:35 PM
In Livingston Parish, Louisiana, a former pastor, Doug McDaris, 74, has been arrested and is currently being held without bond on charges of molestation. McDaris, who previously served as pastor at Oakview Baptist Church in Livingston Parish two decades ago, is now affiliated with New Beginnings Church in Six Miles, South Carolina. The allegations pertain to incidents that reportedly occurred during his tenure in Louisiana.
McDaris was apprehended in Pickens County, South Carolina, following an arrest warrant issued by the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. He was subsequently extradited to Louisiana and booked at the Livingston Parish Detention Center on March 27. The charges against him include two counts of molestation of a juvenile. While a bond of $100,000 was set for one charge, he remains in custody without bond on the other charge.
This case underscores the importance of accountability within religious leadership, reflecting the biblical principle found in Micah 6:8, which calls for justice, mercy, and humility. As the legal process unfolds, it is crucial to maintain a focus on justice for the victims and the community, ensuring that the principles of truth and care for the vulnerable are upheld. The church and its members are reminded of their responsibility to protect and support those affected by such allegations.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
