Two Lawsuits Filed Against Pawleys Island Community Church, One Alleging Child Sexual Abuse

A lawsuit filed Tuesday, July 21, alleges that former Pawleys Island Community Church (PICC) volunteer Warren Perry sexually abused a child who attended the church’s school in 2022. The suit, filed by Jane Doe, is one of two new lawsuits involving PICC and Pawleys Island Christian Academy (PICA), which are located on the same campus.

PICC, PICA, and their leaders are at the center of controversy after it came to light that Perry was volunteering on campus, even though the church’s pastor and other church and school leaders knew of his sex offender status.

Samantha Blake, a parent whose 5-year-old son attended PICA, expressed outrage in an open letter on Facebook. “How could you? How could you, for so many years, knowingly allow this man around our children?” she wrote. “Whether you believed he found God and was a new man or not, he was a convicted sex offender who was not supposed to be around children. The conditions placed on him weren’t a suggestion. They were…legal restrictions put in place to protect children.”

Pawleys Island Community Church and its affiliated school, Pawleys Island Christian Academy, are in turmoil after it came to light that volunteer custodian Warren Perry was a convicted sex offender. After a concerned citizen alerted the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) that Perry was volunteering on a school campus, authorities looked into the matter and discovered Perry was violating his probation. Perry was charged in 2020 with two counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He pleaded guilty to one count in November 2023.

He was arrested on July 14 for violating his probation and was released on bond. Then-Pastor Don Williams held a congregational meeting July 15 where he read a statement explaining that he, several other church leaders, and PICA Director Niki Howard knew that Perry was a sex offender and explained why they concealed that information from parents and teachers. The meeting was tense and emotional as angry parents shouted questions and statements that Williams did not engage with.

On July 17, PICC announced that Williams; his wife, Ginny; Niki Howard; and several others were involved in the decision to keep Perry’s status secret. The church and school leaders have faced criticism for their handling of the situation, with many calling for accountability and transparency.

The incidents raise concerns about the protection of children in religious and educational settings. As the legal proceedings unfold, the community continues to grapple with the implications of the decisions made by those in positions of authority.

Matthew 25:35 reminds us that we are to care for the vulnerable, and this case underscores the importance of safeguarding children and upholding the principles of justice and mercy.

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