GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — 32 pages of court documents detail the physical and emotional abuse Marian Ippel said she endured while at church and on a mission trip.
One of the defendants named in those documents was Grace Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids.
Court documents say that when Ippel was just three years old in 2006 she was at church with her parents. Ippel was at a children's worship service, away from the main sanctuary. After the service ended a deacon, Roger Wagenmaker, allegedly took Ippel to the churches basement and sexually abused her.
A year later while on a mission trip in Guinea, court documents reveal she was also sexually abused by an unnamed 12-year-old boy.
While the documents say Wagenmaker died in 2010, it wasn't until years later, during therapy that a then 17-year-old Ippel could start to recall the instances of abuse.
Ippel claims that Grace CRC and the non-profit "The Christian Reformed Church in North America", also named in the lawsuit, didn't do enough to prevent or respond to the instances of sexual abuse.
In a statement to 13 ON YOUR SIDE The Christian Reformed Church in North America said:
We are aware of a lawsuit filed Monday against Christian Reformed Church in North America and Grace Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Mich. alleging that two incidents of sexual abuse occurred, one by a minor abroad and one by a deacon at Grace Christian Reformed Church in the early 2000s. We commend the courage of survivors to come forward, even when abuse may have occurred many years ago. We take any allegation of sexual abuse seriously and are currently investigating the claims.
The Christian Reformed Church in North America desires for all our congregations and programs to provide a safe and welcoming environment for children and all members of the community. Each congregation is governed by a church council elected by its members. As a denomination, the Christian Reformed Church in North America has developed strict policies and procedures that support our commitment to keeping children safe and to encourage the prompt reporting of abuse.
As we respond to the lawsuit, we want to remind you of the resources we have in place to safeguard against this type of abuse. We share our abuse prevention and response training with all staff and encourage all congregations to make use of our safe church resources. You can find more information here.
One of Ippel's lawyers, Megan Bonanni, responded to a request for a statement reading in part:
"We are honored to represent Marian in her lawsuit against Grace Christian Reformed Church and its affiliates. For years, Marian has endured the trauma of sexual abuse, and now it is time to hold accountable those responsible for fostering the environment that allowed her suffering. If you or someone you know has experienced similar abuse at Grace Christian Reformed Church, we urge you to come forward and speak with us."
A spokesperson with Grace CRC responded to request for comment as well:
"Although we have yet to be formally served and are unfortunately unable to provide much detail into ongoing litigation, we are grateful to Ms. Ippel for coming forward to share her experience. We are actively investigating this report from 2006, as we believe all abuse is unacceptable. These allegations are deeply troubling to Grace Church and the entire congregation, as ministry leaders, staff, and volunteers actively adhere to a strict code of conduct that upholds a safe church environment for all.
Stringent, long-standing policies and procedures are in place to ensure the safety of our youth, and they are reviewed thoroughly by our Safe Church Committee annually to ensure alignment with recognized best practices for abuse prevention and reporting – including mandatory background checks for all individuals interacting with children in their roles. We are committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of all children and congregation members and will continue to uphold Grace Church as a welcoming environment, open to all those who wish to worship."
Ippel and her lawyers have requested a jury trial. With the recent filing, a hearing date has not yet been set, however, the defendants in the case have 30 days to respond to the lawsuit.