was an LDS stake seventy in California; in 2024, accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse; the suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church

class="case-summary-title">Facts

Summary

John Doe was an LDS church member in California. In 2024, Doe was accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse. The suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church alleging child sexual abuse by a Mormon church leader or member. FLOODLIT is seeking more information and court documents related to this case.

A lawsuit filed in California in 2024 said a Mormon stake seventy named “Newton Simpkins” sexually abused a girl for 3 years, starting age 10, from 1973-76, inside an LDS chapel and in his car.

FLOODLIT.org found a Hamilton Newton Simpkins of Antioch, California, who lived from 1918 to 1973.

We are not sure if this man is the accused; the death date does not match the timeframe of the alleged abuse in the civil complaint.

A 1973 newspaper article reporting on Simpkins’s death said he was a Mormon bishop.

In 1965, Simpkins was convicted of child abuse after accusations that he beat his 7-year-old son in an attempt to cure him of bedwetting.

Sources

  1. source 1
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  2. source 2
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  3. source 3
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  4. Jane Roe KL 66 v. Doe 1 et al
    view source details | 5 Jan 2025 | PacerMonitor

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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