A woman who says she was raped and impregnated as a 15-year-old by a member of her church – and then forced to read a letter of apology aloud to the congregation – is now seeking justice from the courts.
Jury selection starts Monday at Merrimack Superior Court in New Hampshire in the case against Ernest Willis, who prosecutors charge raped Tina Anderson twice in her home in 1997, leaving her pregnant, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported.
The then-teenager was then compelled by leaders of the Trinity Baptist Church to apologize for becoming pregnant with a married man’s child, the Concord Monitor reported.
Willis, now 52, has admitted to the sex, but claims it was consensual.
Anderson, now 29, who asked media outlets to publicly identify her to draw attention to the case, told police the church’s pastor, Charles Phelps, spirited her away to another church member in Colorado in an effort to muddle a police investigation back in 1997.
Anderson gave birth in Colorado and put the child up for adoption.
The case was rekindled last June when a Concord police detective contacted Anderson – now married with three children in Arizona – after stumbling on a Facebook page with the details, The Associated Press reported.
“It needs to be done. Justice needs to be done,” Anderson told the AP.
facebook is an F.B.I MONITORED trap
The same thing happened in a church here and what happen nothing.Now he fughting to have his probation reduced.
The woman should have cut his dick,so when he build his new church he will think twice.
so called spiritual leaders who never got their flesh under control.
Raped and force to appologize? … What a disgusting church and repugnant people.
so the police officer “Stumbled” on the facebook page? HA HA ! very funny. we all know who’s in control of the facebook.
who? i dunno who in charge of fb.. tell me .
me too….who in charge of FB. Tell us :
So much for those who formed their own religion and preach the word of God, who go about convincing some Christians that they should join their churches.
Thank God I am not gullible.
As an adult, when she became one even in her twenties why did she wait so long to report him? Governments are two-tiered and could be unfair. There should be a statute of limitation. This should be applied to this case and similar ones.