Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt battles to protect children at AGAPE.

AG Schmitt filed for a writ asking a higher court to reverse the Cedar County Court’s decision from yesterday. Children at AGAPE are living in horror, and even the attorney general is having a difficult time working through the courts to protect them. Today, he posted on Twitter that he is working to protect children:

“Today in our fight to protect the kids at Agape, we filed for a writ, asking a higher court to reverse the Cedar County Court’s decision from yesterday that prevented us from filing a 2nd amended petition. Read the Petition for a Writ of Mandamus here: 2-petition-for-writ-of-mandamus-or-prohibition.pdf (mo.gov),” Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt said on Twitter.

The writ states, “For years, young boys have been abused by staff at Agapé Boarding
School (Agapé). Less than two weeks ago, the Department of Social Services
placed one of Agapé’s staff members on the Central Registry of abuse or neglect
after the time to appeal the finding of physical abuse expired. Hours later, the
Attorney General filed suit for the “removal of the children [at Agapé] to safety”
because Agapé’s pattern of abuse and its failure to remediate that pattern
created an imminent threat to the children. Since then, Department staff have
been on site at Agapé. While there, children have approached Department staff
and offered new information about the abuse happening at the school. In one
instance, a child, fearing reprisals from Agapé felt compelled to conceal
information inside his shoe. In another instance, a child reported that a staff
member removed a tattoo from the child with a Brillo pad”. Read more or what the AG said in the writ here.

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