Authorities remove 88 children from church summer camp after reports of abuse – UK Times

Authorities have removed 88 children from a church summer camp in Iowa after reports of abuse.

The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post Monday that it worked with Iowa authorities to conduct an operation last Thursday and Friday in which they took dozens of children into protective custody.

“This operation was based upon information and reports regarding child abuse and endangerment,” the sheriff’s office said.

The children were attending the Kingdom Ministry of Rehab and Recreation and the Skekinah Glory Camp in Columbus Junction.

They were taken to a local church to meet with child protection workers and then later released to either their parents or Iowa officials, or they were placed in temporary foster care.

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Victor Bawi, whose parents run the ministry, told KWQC that no camp leaders have been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation and he insists their innocence.

He claimed a 15-year-old from Texas called authorities because he didn’t want to be at the camp, insisting, “We never harmed that child.”

“We loved him,” Bawi said. “We bought him like $400 shoes, clothing, everything.”

Bawi told WQAD police can investigate, and that “they’re not going to find anything.”

“You can ask the children as well, they were having fun. During the scene where they took away the children, they were crying,” he said.

Bawi said it was the first time the ministry had hosted a bible study summer camp and that it was supposed to run from June 8 to June 29. He said parents dropped their children off and signed a consent form.

“They knew everything that was going on,” he said.

The ministry takes care of adults and children “under the influence of drugs, alcohol, nicotine,” Bawi said. He added that the children are separated from the adults, and the boys are separated from the girls.

“We care for them, we provide for them. This summer camp was for people around the state so they can change and stop their addiction,” he said.

Bawi said the ministry hopes the children “are well and they can come back.”

He added: “We talked to the children and their parents. They want to come back. They want to send their children back.”