JW Charged With Molestation and Murder in Kentucky

[Mary]

Jehovah's Witness Charged With Molestation and Murder of Own Children

A national support group for abused children is coming to York County to bring attention to the recent murders of three children, one of whom was raped in the days before her death.

Five members of the Meza family were found dead Aug. 9 after a fire at their house. The father, Denis, had been arrested three weeks before on charges he molested his 14-year-old daughter, Denia. The throats of all three children were slashed. The Mezas were Jehovah's Witnesses.

In court cases, the church has been accused of not taking allegations brought to the church to authorities. However, in the Meza case, a national spokesman for the church said Tuesday that it knew of the molestation and reported it to authorities.

Bill Bowen, director of Silent Lambs, confirmed Tuesday that he and other children's advocates will host a candlelight vigil Sept. 9 at the Rock Hill National Guard Armory at 7:30 p.m. He said his group will discuss ways to prevent child abuse and will also distribute stuffed toy lambs to area Jehovah's Witnesses churches. Silent Lambs has printed information on how to report allegations of sexual abuse.

"A horrible crime took place in Rock Hill; three innocent children were murdered. And one of those children was sexually abused and later raped," said Bowen. "We want to bring attention to this case and the need for sexual abuse allegations to be brought to the authorities quickly so tragedies like this can be avoided in the future."

Bowen is a former elder with the Jehovah's Witnesses Church. He quit the church in 2000 after he says church elders refused to address sex abuse allegations involving a member of the church. He says the member was later arrested but was never convicted.

His allegations about his former church have been chronicled in The New York Times and by "Dateline NBC."

Bowen's Silent Lambs group (www.silentlambs.org) reveals that the church "covers up" allegations of sexual abuse and sometimes does not report those allegations to authorities. Bowen said he decided to come to York County after being contacted by local Jehovah's Witnesses who disapproved of how the cult treated the Meza family.

The five members of the Meza family all belonged to a Spanish Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witnesses in their town. Church officials refused to publicly comment about the family, and another church stepped forward to help raise money to pay for the funeral and transportation expenses for family members from Nicaragua.

On Aug. 9, the Mezas' three children -- Jayro, 5; Denise, 8; and Denia, 14 -- died before a fire destroyed their home. Officials say one of the parents -- Marbely or Denis Meza -- killed the children. The parents both died of burns and smoke inhalation. York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant said he's awaiting lab results to determine the killer.

Denia, who was raped within five days of her death, and her mother had what could be interpreted as "defensive wounds" on their arms.

Denis Meza was arrested July 16 on charges of sexually abusing his very own daughter and was ordered to have no contact with her after he moved out of the home in May. He died a week before he was to go to court.

J.R. Brown of the Jehovah's Witnesses denied that his church "protects" members from allegations of sexual abuse.

DSS officials say the allegations of abuse were reported to them May 3 but will not say who reported it. Brown would not say at what point prior to May 3 the church had knowledge of the allegations.

A press conference will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at the Rock Hill City Hall Plaza area to announce the details of the candlelight vigil for the Meza children.

Silent Lambs is also establishing a Meza Children's Memorial fund to make a donation in their memory; additional proceeds will go to local child abuse support groups.

Want to Know More?

To contribute to the memorial fund and to find out more about the vigil, contact Cindy Foundren at (704) 614-0684


Article Source

[Mary]

New memorial fund to be launched, honoring murdered kids Will Help Support Local Sex Abuse Victims Groups

WHAT: At a news conference, plans for a new memorial fund for recently murdered children will be announced. Also, details of an upcoming candlelight vigil will be announced. The vigil will honor the recently murdered Meza children, whose father was active in the Jehovah's Witnesses.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 8, 10:30 a.m.

WHO: Two men from Kentucky and North Carolina who lead support groups for clergy molestation victims, and two South Carolina Jehovah's Witness women who are also leaders in one of the groups.

WHERE: Rock Hill (SC) City Hall, Plaza Area.

DETAILS: The recent deaths and abuse allegations surrounding the Meza children have been a source of great concern and sorrow in the Rock Hill community. In response, Silentlambs (a national support group for people sexually abused by Jehovah's Witnesses), is setting up a memorial fund for donations in memory of the Meza Children. Proceeds will go to local child abuse support groups.

The group will be holding a candlelight vigil to help upset and frightened people to find comfort and support. Members of child abuse organizations SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) and Linkup (clergy abuse support group) will attend to offer support and comments about protecting children.

Silentlambs has been part of nineteen documentaries in eight different countries highlighting abuse in the Jehovah's Witness community. It has been featured on NBC Dateline, CNN, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and in the New York Times. Silent Lambs is headed by William H, Bowen of Calvert City, KY, a former Jehovah's Witness elder. Also attending will be David Fortwengler of Charlotte, NC, who leads a chapter of SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).

Contact: Cindy Foundren cell 704-614-0684 / SNAP - David Fortwengler 704-562-4529 / Silentlambs- William H. Bowen 270-703-2257

Jehovah's Witnesses leaders will be urged to distributed flyers about how to protect children

Father of Recently Murdered Children Was Active In the Denomination

What:

At ten local Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Halls, a support group for clergy molestation victims will leave stuffed lambs and flyers educating church-goers about how to spot signs of child abuse and where to report such suspicions. Leaders of the denomination will be invited to tonight's candlelight vigil and challenged to distribute the flyers to their members.

When: Thursday, September 9, 11:30 a.m.

Where: Rock Hill Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1175 Albright Road, Rock Hill (off 21 bypass) Who:

Two men from Kentucky and North Carolina who lead support groups for clergy molestation victims, and two South Carolina Jehovah's Witness women who are also leaders in one of the groups.

Why: Silentlambs will ask for a flyer to be distributed by all church leaders in the Charlotte and York county area that highlights the symptoms of abuse and how to report. Copies can be downloaded directly from the silentlambs website.

At the candle vigil national support groups for child rape victims along with advocates from across the U. S. will speak about how children have been hurt and ask that a flyer be distributed to all church members and placed on church bulletin boards. All in the local community and Charlotte area are invited to attend the Thursday night candle light vigil (at 7:30 pm) to bring the local community together in remembrance.

Toy lambs are a symbol of innocence lost and are used by silentlambs to raise abuse awareness along with educational video material.

Silent Lambs is headed by William H, Bowen of Calvert City, KY, a former Jehovah's Witness elder. Also attending will be David Fortwengler of Charlotte, NC, who leads a chapter of SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).

Contact: Cindy Foundren cell 704-614-0684 / SNAP - David Fortwengler 704-562-4529 / Silentlambs- William H. Bowen 270-703-2257

For Background information click here,
http://www.silentlambs.org/candlevigilinfo.htm

Article Source