DOWNERS GROVE (IL)
Chicago Tribune
By James Kimberly, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune reporter Art Barnum contributed to this report
Published February 15, 2006
Three former workers at a Downers Grove Baptist church and school are being accused of sexually abusing two juvenile female parishioners, the church announced Tuesday.
Rev. David Canedy, senior pastor at the Marquette Manor Baptist Church and Academy, said the alleged abuse happened between four and 10 years ago and none of the accused men still works at the church.
Canedy said church officials became aware of the alleged abuse about two years ago when one of the girls told a counselor about it. The church reported the allegation to authorities immediately, Canedy said.
Downers Grove Police Sgt. Russell Piszczek confirmed that the Downers Grove Police Department investigated allegations of sexual abuse at the church and turned their findings over to the DuPage County state's attorney's office. Piszczek said the state's attorney's office is still reviewing the evidence.
"This is still on-going," Piszczek said.