Televangelist's Church Day Care Center Found Guilty of Child Abuse

This post, written by Pam Spaulding, originally appeared on Pam's House Blend

Ohio-based infamous Patriot Pastor Rod Parsley, head of the pious Center for Moral Clarity and the World Harvest Church, also owned a day care center operated by the church. A Cuddle Care day care center teacher was charged with abusing a two-year-old, and the parents just won a $6 million-dollar judgment.

Michael and Lacey Faieta of Canal Winchester said their 2-year-old son complained last year that the teacher spanked him with a "knife" at the Cuddle Care day care center, which was operated by World Harvest Church.

The parents believed that teacher Richard Vaughan had hit their son with a ruler and took pictures of lines on the boy's body before taking him to a hospital. The boy suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and Lacey Faieta quit her job to care for him, according to court testimony.

Vaughan, 58, who denied the allegations, was investigated by police and Franklin County Children Services but never charged. He eventually quit, and the day care center closed.

During court testimony, church officials and two doctors called the boy's injuries a rash. But jurors in Franklin County Common Pleas Court found Vaughan responsible for injuries to the child, and World Harvest Church liable for failing to supervise Vaughan.

The church was ordered to pay $5.8 million and Vaughan the rest. An appeal will be filed, according to the church's lawyer. "This decision and the amount of this award are outrageous and well beyond the jury's authority," said Charles Saxbe, of the law firm representing World Harvest Church. "This is a classic example of a 'runaway jury.'"

Parsley, you might recall, believes in harsh discipline, so perhaps Richard Vaughan was just following his lead. Back in February Parsley sent out an email update to his supporters extolling the good work of the Michigan court regarding punishment for adultery -- its second-highest court ruled that anyone involved in an extramarital fling can be prosecuted for first-degree criminal sexual conduct -- a felony that could land you in prison for life.