Ex-Pastor Charged in Sex Abuse of Girl in Park Rapids, Minn.

Fox 9
March 11, 2012

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Ex-Pastor-Charged-Sex-Abuse-Girl-Park-Rapids-mar-11-2012


Teen victim feared violence if she spoke up

PARK RAPIDS, Minn. - The former pastor of a small Lutheran church in northern Minnesota has charged with sexually abusing a teenage girl.

Rev. Darwin Frederick Schauer was being held in the Hubbard County jail on conditional bail of $750,000. The 70-year-old led Trinity Lutheran Church of Lake George from 1998 until about 2006.

Schauer was charged in Hubbard County District Court last week with 15 counts of felony criminal sexual conduct with a minor. The criminal complaint says the girl told police Schauer had sex with her twice a week from the spring of 2009 until late last month. She told investigators that she was afraid he'd hurt her if she didn't comply.

His public defender did not respond to the newspaper's request for comment.