Little Rock, ARK – – Two lawsuits were filed in Little Rock Circuit Court on Tuesday against Immanuel Baptist Church, alleging the church covered up sexual abuse committed by two former staff members. The lawsuits, filed on behalf of two victims identified as John Doe and Jane Doe, accuse the church of failing to act appropriately after the abuse was reported and claim the church’s inaction allowed the abuse to continue.
The lawsuits name Patrick Miller, the former assistant child minister at Immanuel Baptist Church, and Reagan Gray, a former volunteer, as the individuals responsible for the abuse. Both men are facing criminal charges, with Miller scheduled to stand trial for sexual assault and kidnapping in April 2025, and Gray scheduled for trial on a sexual assault charge in February 2025.
According to the lawsuits, Immanuel Baptist Church failed to implement adequate safeguards to prevent the abuse from occurring and did not respond appropriately when the allegations first surfaced. The plaintiffs claim the church’s failure to act not only allowed the abuse to continue but also caused significant emotional and psychological harm to the victims.
Little Rock attorney Joeseph Gates, who filed the lawsuits, expressed frustration over the church’s response to the allegations. In a statement, Gates said, “We worked tirelessly to find a resolution that would spare the survivors from reliving their trauma in a courtroom against their old church, a place they once called home. Unfortunately, our efforts were not successful as the church leadership has refused to acknowledge and accept the full extent of their responsibility in allowing these heinous acts to take place.” Gates added that the church’s inaction left him with “no choice” but to move forward with the lawsuits.
The lawsuits include hundreds of pages of documentation, including news articles about the Southern Baptist Convention’s handling of sexual abuse claims and related materials.
A father of one of the victims also shared his thoughts on the decision to pursue legal action. “I don’t trust them anymore,” he said, citing delays and the church’s repeated denials of responsibility.
The controversy surrounding the church led to the resignation of former Immanuel Baptist pastor Steven Smith in April 2024, after the abuse allegations became public.
In response to the lawsuits, Immanuel Baptist Church issued a statement expressing sadness over the legal action and offering thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this profoundly difficult time,” the statement read. “We deeply regret the pain this has caused within our community, and we encourage anyone with information to come forward to law enforcement.” The church also noted that, due to the ongoing legal matter, it would not be commenting further.
As the legal process continues, the plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial, damages, and attorney fees for the harm they claim to have suffered as a result of the abuse and the church’s alleged failure to act.