News

Actions

Geauga Co. parents file lawsuit, claim 11-year-old disabled son forcibly baptized at Chardon church

Posted at 1:56 PM, Mar 31, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-31 13:58:11-04

A civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of April and Greg DeFibaugh of Hambden Township claims the couple's 11-year-old special needs son was baptized without their approval.

The lawsuit claims the boy was left traumatized by the incident, because he didn't fully realize what was happening to him when he was fully immersed in water at the Morning Star Friends Church in Chardon, in August of 2016.

The lawsuit names the boy's mentor, who was provided by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Ohio, the boy's court appointed guardian, and Morning Star Friends Church.

Nick Fish with America Atheists said the DeFibaugh family came to his agency looking for support in filing a civil lawsuit, believing their son's constitutional rights were violated. 

Fish said the boys mentor told the DeFibaugh family he was taking their son to a church picnic, but instead the boy was baptized without approval.

"His mentor told him that he would stop taking him to baseball games if he didn't get baptized," said Fish. "He's had a lot of bad dreams, he's had a lot of fear from being held underwater."

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Ohio Executive Director Tim Kehres told News 5 his agency gives all mentors full background checks, and makes it clear to them they are not to imposed their religious beliefs upon the child.

"We take child safety very seriously," said Kehres. "Where the line is drawn is when you force your values over a child in particular.  So we are real clear with our volunteers that they have to respect the family's values."

News 5 contacted Morning Star Friends Church about this story, but it did not offer any comment.