By Mark Stine
KOLD-NEWS13
January 16, 2008
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=7630499
Think about getting hit in the stomach unexpectedly and getting the wind knocked out of you."
That's how Pastor John Anderson describes his congregations reaction after one of the East Tucson Baptist Church youth ministers was arrested for several sex crimes.
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Anderson said, "Shock, anger, denial rationalization, all of those are taking place right now."
Taking place because Christopher Decaire was arrested on Friday and charged with nine felonies. He's accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old girl from the church.
"We're still numb, we're speechless."
The alleged victim told a relative who then called police.
This is the search warrant officers served the church on Friday. It shows police got swabs of Christoper Decaire's mouth for DNA. Other evidence they looked for included pieces of flooring, couches, curtains and other furniture found to contain biological material when viewed with a forensic light source.
Police say those materials would indicate they suspect some of the acts of abuse occurred at the church.
Pastor anderson says Decaire served two years with student ministries at the church, but he'd been attending for eight years.
Anderson says a situation like this doesn't only effect the two families involved, it effects everyone.
"In order for us to do what God wants us to do we need to rally around them, walk beside them through this time, as we deal with the grief of all of this," Anderson explained.
Decaire is charged with two counts molestation of a child, four counts sexual conduct of a minor, two counts sexual abuse and one count sexual abuse of a child because police say the abuse may have gone on for a year.
Pastor Anderson says Christopher Decaire was immediately put on administrative leave following his arrest.
Stay with KOLD News 13 for more details.
Contact: mstine@kold.com
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