Sexually Abused

A South Carolina-based church is now facing lawsuits over allegations of sexual abuse and grooming at the hands of a youth group leader. According to reports, the church’s leaders failed to act to protect young members despite clear warning signs. Randall Hood is now representing victims as they pursue justice and seek accountability from their…

McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips is representing multiple victims of sexual abuse and assault in lawsuits against U.S. Figure Skating, coach Mark Cockerell, and skating rinks. Partner Randy Hood, who is representing these victims, recently sat down for an interview with David Lease, co-creator and host of The Skating Lesson. During this hour-long interview, Mr.…

McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC has filed multiple lawsuits against multiple parties on behalf of survivors who say they were sexually abused by their skating coach. S. Randall “Randy” Hood and Chad McGowan, and Bakari Sellers, Jessica Fickling, Alexandra Benevento, and Pete Strom of Strom Law Firm, are representing the victims. We have reason…

Another youth pastor has been arrested for inappropriate sexual behavior. This time, it’s 35-year-old Daniel Kellan Mayfield from the First Baptist Gowensville Church in Landrum. According to WBTV, Mayfield “admitted to videotaping a woman while she was in the shower May 27…. Following this incident, deputies in Greenville County investigated and discovered that Mayfield allegedly…

McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, has filed two lawsuits against the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the Northside Baptist Church, and former youth pastor Michael D’Attoma on behalf of our clients, “Jane Doe One” and “Jane Doe Two.” The lawsuits seek damages from all parties for the abuse our client…

Southern Baptist Convention’s Bombshell Sex Abuse Scandal Shakes Up Church Have you been harmed by the SBC? Contact us today A shocking third-party investigation released in May reveals the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) covered up decades of sexual assault and abuse allegations in order to protect both personal and financial interests of the church. The…

McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC has filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Charleston, Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone, and Fr. Wilbroad Mwape alleges our client was manipulated into a sexual relationship with the priest. As WBTW News 13 reports, “Before coming to Greenville in 2020, Mwape was pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Orangeburg.…

A recent sting operation in St. Paul, Minnesota underscores the nationwide problem of online sex trafficking. Although sex trafficking historically occurs as a physical interaction, as the internet and messaging apps evolve, so do opportunities for sex predators to find victims. The National Human Trafficking Hotline defines sex trafficking as “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision,…

Many people and families put their faith and trust in the church and other religious institutions. Sadly, and more often than we realize, those institutions let them down in the most devastating ways. When religious leaders take advantage of their authority and use that power to commit sexual abuse within the church, they must be…

A recent lawsuit filed by three Aiken County women alleges their parole officer repeatedly sexually assaulted them over a period of two years while they were under the supervision of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS). The women, referred to in the lawsuit as Jane Doe-1, Doe-2 and Doe-3, were…