KANSAS CITY, Mo. (CN) - Two years after state prosecutors dropped lurid charges against a woman's ex-husband and family, she claims in court that the Mormon church covered up clerical sexual abuse of children and shamed the victims.
Jane Doe and her present husband sued the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its Bishops Paul Tonga and Grant Bench, Stake President Gordon Goodman, Minister and Elder Burrell Edward Mohler Jr. (Jane Doe's ex-husband), Mohler's father Burrell E. Mohler Sr. (a pastor in the RLDS/COC Church), and the Community of Christ Church (RLDS/COC).
Doe claims in Jackson County Court that she and her children were sexually abused by the Mohlers.
The Mohlers were arrested in November 2009 on charges of sexual abuse and child endangerment. Prosecutors dropped the charges in 2011, according to the Kansas City Star.
The Star's March 8, 2012 story began: "Too much to believe or too much to prove.
"On Wednesday afternoon, the Lafayette County prosecutor dropped all charges in the incest case that more than two years ago shocked the world with bizarre stories of barnyard 'weddings' of children to older relatives, rape, sodomy and secrets buried in fruit jars.
"Those who had faced dozens of counts of sexual abuse were family patriarch Burrell Mohler Sr., then 79, of Independence, a sometimes preacher, and his four adult sons, Burrell Jr., David, Jared and Roland.
"All were scheduled for trials later this year, including a June 4 date in Clay County for David Mohler.
"'We're just so glad it's finally over,' said the Lamoni, Iowa, resident, the only one of the formerly accused to be reached Wednesday night. 'The fact that these false charges were brought in the first place has forever changed our lives. Horrendous kinds of things were being said.
"'But I never lost confidence,' he said by phone. 'I assumed that we'd get this cleared up as to how they (his nieces and a nephew) might have come to believe these fantasies.'"
In the new, civil complaint, Doe claims that Mohler Jr. (referred to as Ed in the complaint) became verbally and physically abusive to her while they were married. She claims she found out that one of Ed's brothers had molested one of her daughters in 1988 and that two years later Ed had another daughter sit on his lap while he attempted to touch her genitals.
"As a devout Mormon, plaintiff again went to her bishop," the complaint states. "She told Paul Tonga of the attempted molestation. Bishop Tonga answered 'is that all?' and indicated that since Ed did not penetrate the girl, that it was not a major issue."
Doe claims Tonga then became abusive toward the child and shamed her for the child's father's actions.
Doe claims she went to Goodman, the Stake president, to discuss Ed and Tonga's actions. Instead of protecting the child, Doe says, Goodman told her "to focus on the child remaining strong, reading her scriptures and saying her prayers."
Tonga then promoted elevated Ed to a higher position in the church, Doe claims. She says Ed became more violent with her and the children and that no one in the church - despite her pleas - reported her accusations to authorities though they are required to do so by Missouri law.