EAGLE POINT, Ore. – A woman is suing a local church for allegedly failing to protect her from sexual abuse when she was a child.
The lawsuit alleges that then-23-year-old Jacob Durrett sexually abused the plaintiff multiple times between 2008 and 2009, starting when she was 14 years old.
Durrett was reportedly affiliated with the youth group at Trail Christian Fellowship in Eagle Point at the time the alleged abuse took place. Attorneys say the church knew about the abuse and failed to protect the plaintiff, and multiple other girls, from being abused by Durrett.
“We believe the evidence in this case will show that Trail Christian Fellowship knew or should have known that Mr. Durrett was sexually abusing minors from the church, including Plaintiff. Durrett was allowed to attend the church’s youth group where he groomed the Plaintiff and another girl. We believe the evidence will show that numerous adult church members also saw Durrett engage in boundary violations, including cuddling with the then-15-year-old. We also intend to prove that the church received a direct report from another girl in the church that she too had been abused by Durrett,” explained attorney Peter Janci of Crew Janci LLP, which is representing the victim.
Court records show Durrett was arrested in 2015 for allegedly sexually abusing the plaintiff. He pleaded not guilty, but attorneys say Durrett took his own life before the case could go to trial.
Trail Christian Fellowship said they currently have no comment on the litigation.
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