Lawsuit filed against former West Lafayette pastor accused of mishandling child sex abuse
A civil lawsuit was filed last month against Jared Olivetti, the former West Lafayette pastor defrocked following an IndyStar investigation into allegations he and other church leaders mishandled reports of child sexual abuse.
The complaint, filed in a Tippecanoe County court in early December, names as defendants Jared Olivetti and his wife, Lisa, as well as Immanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Trustees of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. The Synod is the highest governing body in the denomination.
The complaint alleges negligence by the Olivettis, the church and the Synod for not doing more to protect the victim, a minor child who was sexually abused by a young member of the congregation.
An IndyStar investigation published in December 2021 found Jared Olivetti and members of the church’s elder board failed to act with urgency in responding to inappropriate behavior and sexual offenses by a boy at the church.
Read IndyStar's investigation:A boy sexually abused up to 15 kids. His pastor relative protected him.
The perpetrator of the abuse is a relative of the Olivettis. Rather than immediately recuse himself, IndyStar found Jared Olivetti took advantage of his position as a leader to interfere with the church’s response. In addition to Olivetti's clear conflict of interest, several people close to the situation told IndyStar the church's elders chose to publicly minimize the nature of the incidents and protected their pastor over the congregation's children.
IndyStar learned at least eight children from the church were abused or harassed between spring 2019 and March 2020, according to internal church documents, and court records indicate there were several victims outside of the church.
The complaint alleges the abuse of this child occurred as early as 2015 and continued through 2020. The child disclosed the abuse to their parents in early 2021, according to the complaint.
Gregory Laker, an Indianapolis-based attorney representing the Doe family, told IndyStar the culpability extends from the Olivettis to the church and Synod.
“What this family allowed to happen to so many young victims is horrific and appalling,” he said, “and they need to be held accountable.”
When reached by IndyStar Wednesday, an attorney representing the Olivettis said he had no comment.
Upon learning of the allegations of abuse in January 2021, the Doe family contacted authorities and the Olivetti family, at which time they claim they were told it wasn’t the first time the family had been made aware of the boy’s inappropriate behavior.
For subscribers:Sexual abuse rocked their church. Though their families weren't victims, they bear scars.
Additionally, the complaint alleges that Jared Olivetti, as pastor, had been made aware of the boy’s behavior on several occasions and initially failed to communicate those incidents to the congregation. When safety precautions were put in place, the complaint alleges the Olivettis and others took no steps to ensure they were actually being followed.
“Even after learning that (perpetrator) had a propensity to abuse minors, there were no steps taken by the Olivettis, IRPC or the Synod to implement policies and procedures that would reasonably protect the safety of its youth congregants, its member presbyteries and/or church members, and other minors exposed to” the perpetrator, the complaint alleges.
In 2021, the perpetrator was found delinquent on what would be multiple felony charges of child molesting. (IndyStar is not indicating the relationship between Olivetti and the boy to avoid directly identifying him. IndyStar does not identify juvenile offenders unless they are charged as adults.) Following an ecclesiastical trial last year, Jared Olivetti was stripped of his ordination and was suspended from the "privileges of Church membership," including participating in sacraments such as communion.
The Rev. Dan Perrin, who now serves at Immanuel, told IndyStar he had no comment when reached via email Wednesday morning. IndyStar has also reached out to representatives of the Synod for comment.
The complaint seeks a jury trial to determine damages for, among the allegations, mental and emotional distress.
No hearings have been set in the case, according to online court records.
Report child abuse to Indiana authorities
Indiana law requires any adult who suspects a child is being abused or neglected to immediately report those suspicions to law enforcement or the Indiana Department of Child Services. Reports can be made anonymously 24/7 via the DCS hotline: 1-800-800-5556.
Contact IndyStar Newsroom Development Director Holly Hays at holly.hays@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jared Olivetti, former pastor at Immanuel RP Church, now faces lawsuit
