John Doe victim says he was sexually abused at Bell Gardens church
Former pastor is now serving prison time for sexually abusing children
(Los Angeles, CA) A 25 year-old California man identified only as “John Doe” filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court last week alleging he was sexually abused in the Mid 1990’s by his pastor at Iglesia Lutheran San Pedro Y Pablo Church in Bell Gardens, California.
The Lawsuit alleges church officials received complaints of Pastor Frank Brundige’s abuse of a child as early as 1992, and that the pastor admitted at that time to the abuse. The complaint further alleges that even after Brundige’s admission of abuse, Lutheran Church officials failed to take any action to investigate, discipline or more closely supervise his activities with children.
Brundige continued as Pastor of San Pedro Y Pablo Lutheran Church in Bell Gardens church for 15 more years, until 2007, when he admitted to sexually molesting not less than four children. According to one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, Brundige was criminally convicted of molesting four children in the 1990’s and 2000’s.
The attorney, Anthony De Marco, said Brundige, who is serving a 24 year prison sentence for abusing the four children, “was known for walking through the streets of Bell Gardens, befriending vulnerable children and bringing them to the church, where he would routinely isolate them.”
Two separate lawsuits on behalf of four other victims that allege sexual abuse by Brundige, and negligent supervision by Lutheran Church officials, were recently settled for sums Church officials have required to be kept confidential.
Note: Copy of the new lawsuit is available at www.AndersonAdvocates.com