was an LDS church member in Columbia, South Carolina; accused of sexual abuse; convicted in 1986; the conviction was later overturned

class="case-summary-title">Facts

Summary

Gene Dawkins was a Mormon church member in Columbia, South Carolina.

A “Mormon Sunday school teacher was accused of “the worst case of sexual abuse I’ve ever seen during my 30 years in law enforcement,” according to Richard County Sheriff Frank Powell of Elgin, South Carolina. “I’m not sure how a child can cope with something like this.” Much of the abuse occurred during church outings, or during privately arranged meetings. Dawkins denied guilt, instead, according to reports, “praying and reading from the Book of Mormon.”

Dawkins was accused of brutally torturing and raping a girl over a two-year period starting when she was 13, terrifying her into submission by cutting her, showing her body parts he kept in jars, and threatening to dissect her.

FLOODLIT is seeking more information in this case.

Sources

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    view source details | 19 Feb 2024 | Justia

Source details

Browse the Mormon Sexual Abuse Database

FLOODLIT.org has a free public database of hundreds of reports about people who committed or allegedly committed sex crimes, including sexual abuse, while they were active Mormon church members. You can browse the entire database by LDS church position, number of victims, places where crimes took place, criminal/civil case results, and other criteria.

View the Mormon Sexual Abuse Map

International map of locations where active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perpetrated or allegedly perpetrated sexual abuse or other sex crimes, or where LDS leaders failed or allegedly failed to help abuse survivors.

 

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