Child Abuse
Idaho doctor accused by 133 women of abuse got 30 days in jail; stake president told victim not to call police
LaVar Withers, a physician in Rexburg, Idaho, and member of the LDS Church, was accused of sexually abusing at least 133 women and children—some as young as 13—over three decades, according to court records documented by FLOODLIT. Withers pleaded guilty in 1996 to a single misdemeanor battery count and received a 30-day jail sentence. He died in 2005.
September 10, 2026 at 6:03 AM MT · via FLOODLIT
FLDS leader Samuel Bateman sentenced to 24 more years for child sex abuse
Polygamous sect leader Samuel Bateman received an additional 24 years in prison for child sex abuse, adding to the 50-year sentence he is already serving, according to the Guardian. Bateman led a breakaway faction of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a group not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
September 8, 2026 at 10:02 PM MT · via The Guardian · 5 sources
Idaho doctor accused by 133 women pleaded guilty to abuse in 1996 Mormon case
LaVar Withers, a Latter-day Saint physician in Rexburg, Idaho, was accused of sexually abusing at least 133 women and children—some as young as 13—over 30 years or more, according to case records documented by FLOODLIT. Withers admitted to sexual abuse and pleaded guilty in 1996 to a single count of misdemeanor battery, receiving 30 days in jail. According to the FLOODLIT case record, a stake president told at least one victim not to call police. Withers was a church member and practicing physician at the time of the alleged abuse. He died in 2005.
September 6, 2026 at 8:03 PM MT · via FLOODLIT
Former LDS bishop charged with child sexual abuse material possession after prostitution arrest
A former Latter-day Saint bishop was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material after investigators discovered it on his phone following his arrest during a prostitution sting operation, according to ABC4 Utah. The case involves a former lay leader in the LDS Church, where bishops serve as volunteer congregational leaders. Prosecutors are pursuing the charges based on material allegedly found on his device.
September 6, 2026 at 2:03 PM MT · via ABC4 Utah · 2 sources
FLDS leader Samuel Bateman gets second sentence of 24 years in state case
Samuel Bateman, a fundamentalist polygamous sect leader already serving 50 years for federal child sex abuse charges, received an additional 24-year state prison sentence, The Guardian reports. The state sentence stems from charges related to the 2022 discovery of three girls, ages 11 to 14, locked in a trailer Bateman was towing.
September 3, 2026 at 6:03 AM MT · via The Guardian · 5 sources
Sicilian priest devoted life to exposing crimes of online predators
The Globe and Mail profiles a Sicilian priest who has spent years working to expose online child predators and protect vulnerable children from exploitation on the internet.
August 21, 2026 at 1:05 AM MT · via The Globe and Mail
Arizona clergy who learn of abuse in confessions not required to report, court rules
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that clergy who learn of child abuse during religious confessions are not required to report it to authorities, The Guardian reports. The decision upholds clergy-penitent privilege protections against mandatory reporting laws. The ruling affects cases where religious leaders learn of abuse in confidential pastoral settings.
August 12, 2026 at 8:05 PM MT · via The Guardian · 15 sources
Ruby Franke: Where the disgraced YouTube mom is now
Cosmopolitan examines the current status of Ruby Franke, the disgraced YouTube mother convicted of child abuse, and provides updates on her children's welfare. The article reviews the timeline of Franke's arrest, conviction, and sentencing for abusing her children alongside business partner Jodi Hildebrandt. Franke, who ran the family vlog "8 Passengers," is currently serving prison time in Utah while her children remain in protective care.
August 12, 2026 at 6:59 PM MT · via Cosmopolitan
Federal appeals court sides with LDS Church in sex abuse settlement lawsuit
A federal appeals court ruled in late July 2026 in favor of the LDS Church in a lawsuit involving insurance coverage for sex abuse settlements, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The court's decision allows the Church to pursue coverage claims against two insurers for settlements paid in abuse cases.
August 12, 2026 at 6:24 PM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 9 sources