A North Texas family has filed a lawsuit against First Baptist Dallas, claiming their teenage son was sexually abused by another teen during a church mission trip. The family alleges the incident occurred in 2022 when their son, then in eighth grade, participated in a mission trip to San Diego as part of the church’s student worship choir.
According to court documents, the boy was invited to a hotel room occupied by four 10th-grade students. While in the room, after watching an R-rated movie, one of the older boys allegedly sexually abused him. The parents of the boy claim they were not informed about the incident until two months after the trip. They were then called to a meeting by church staff and told that “no force” was involved. The church reportedly planned to keep the alleged abuser and the victim apart during future church activities. Church leaders allegedly chose not to inform other church leaders about the incident.
In response to the lawsuit, First Baptist Dallas has denied the allegations. The church asserts the claim that the incident was a case of consensual sexual activity. A church statement noted that the matter was reported to law enforcement agencies, which concluded investigations without pursuing charges against the accused boy. The church categorically denied any wrongdoing or negligence in handling the situation.
The lawsuit further claims that the same 10th-grade boy had been implicated in a similar incident on a previous church-sponsored youth trip. The parents of the boy bringing the lawsuit allege the church staff was aware of the previous incident. Despite this knowledge, church leaders did not take adequate steps to prevent the same individual from participating in the San Diego trip. The parents also allege that they requested a copy of the church’s sexual abuse policy but were informed that no such policy existed at the time.
The family is seeking over $1 million in damages, claiming negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy on the part of the church and its staff. They argue that the church failed in its duty to protect their son and other minors under its care.
First Baptist Dallas, a prominent church in downtown Dallas, has been a significant religious institution with a large congregation and various community outreach programs. The church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. The Southern Baptist Convention has faced scrutiny in recent years over its handling of sexual abuse allegations within member churches.