A Missouri couple attending a Christian boarding school for boys was arrested Friday on suspicion of kidnapping and abuse, the Wayne County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.
Larry Charles Musgraves Jr., 57, the founder of ABM Ministries Lighthouse Christian Academy, and his wife, Carmen Griselle Musgraves, 64, are facing an investigation into abuse allegations. While the case was in progress, he was taken into custody by the Wayne County Sheriff's Department on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping. Both were charged and jailed without bail. according to to the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.
“After arriving at the boy's home, all of the children present were questioned by Sheriff's Office and DDCC personnel,” authorities said in a news release. After the interview, Larry was found in a camper on the property and arrested on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping. ” (Related: Late founder of Johnny & Associates sexually assaulted hundreds of teens, investigation reveals)
The founder of a rural Missouri boys' Christian boarding school and his wife have been charged with first-degree kidnapping following reports of absconding and alleged abuse at the facility. https://t.co/bNNyLEJOsk
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 4, 2024
Reports from children suggest a culture of fear, including forced gymnastics and brainwashing of staff to make them appear to be on the side of law enforcement, potentially discouraging complaints, NBC said. The news reported. report.
As NBC News reports, “Police are pretty well indoctrinated into children that law enforcement is their friend…and law enforcement won't believe anything they say. Because they have a reason to be there in the first place,” Finch said, NBC News reported.
ABM Ministries, located in Piedmont, Missouri, serves boys ages 10 to 13, as stated in the report. Website. The academy, described on its website as a haven for troubled youth, is spread over more than 250 acres of his property near the Ozarks.
The couple's arrests followed an investigation that began several months ago after repeated reports of people running away from home, according to NBC News.The investigation gained momentum after a report in the Kansas City Star. be familiar with Since January 13 this year, several juveniles have attempted to escape. Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch confirmed to NBC News that at least five boys have run away from the academy in 2024 alone, and all have since been reunited with their families.
According to NBC News, Sheriff Finch's investigation expanded across state lines into Alabama, where he interviewed former students and led to further involvement with other former students. Although details of the charges have not yet been disclosed, the scope of the investigation has expanded, with federal authorities participating in an investigation into the boarding school.
