The Navajo Nation District Court in Window Rock, Arizona. Photo from Navajo Nation Courts
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been hit with another lawsuit in Navajo Nation court. A tribal member who took part in the Indian Student Placement Program alleges he was sexually and physically abused by his foster father when he was a boy. He said he informed the Mormon Church but was told he had to stay in the foster home in Utah for the rest of the school year, The Deseret News reported. The victim is the fourth person to sue the Mormon Church over alleged abuse in the program. Two siblings filed one lawsuit and another person filed a second lawsuit, all in tribal court. The Mormon Church has since asked a federal judge to put a halt to the case filed by the siblings. Attorneys say the Navajo court system does not have jurisdiction over alleged activities that occurred off the reservation and cannot exercise authority over non-Indian entities. Thousands of tribal youth took part in the Indian Student Placement Program between 1947 and 2000, when it was officially disbanded. Get the Story:
Lawsuit accuses LDS Church of failing to protect Navajo students (The Deseret News 6/8)
Utah man is fourth Navajo to sue Mormon church, alleges sexual abuse in foster program (The Salt Lake Tribune 6/8)
New lawsuit against LDS Church over sex abuse (Fox 13 News 6/7)
Mormon church sued by fourth Navajo alleging sexual abuse (AP 6/7)
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