The Bible Chapel lawsuit is a civil negligence case filed in January 2025 in the Court of Common Pleas by the family of a 13-year-old boy with Down syndrome, who alleges the Pittsburgh-area megachurch failed to protect their son from a sexual assault during a youth group event at its South Hills campus in McMurray, Pennsylvania, then delayed reporting the incident to state authorities. The suit accuses the non-denominational church of negligence, inadequate supervision, and violating Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law.
What the Suit Says Happened
The alleged assault took place on January 5, 2025, inside the sanctuary of the South Hills campus during a youth group gathering. The complaint identifies the alleged perpetrator as Daniel Gould, an adult on the autism spectrum who participated in the church’s Special Needs Ministry.1MinistryWatch. Pittsburgh Megachurch Sued Over Sex Assault of Special Needs Minor Surveillance video reportedly captured the assault, which lasted more than seven minutes with no adult intervention.2Andreozzi + Foote. Bible Chapel Ministries
Other children witnessed the assault and reported it to youth group leaders, according to the complaint, but the victim’s family was not told what happened until they arrived to pick up their son at the end of the event.3CBS News Pittsburgh. Bible Chapel Ministries Lawsuit Sexual Assault
What the Church Allegedly Knew Beforehand
The lawsuit claims the church was aware of prior misconduct by the alleged abuser and did not take adequate steps to protect other participants. According to the complaint, Gould had previously sexually abused another youth member on the church’s playground, and church leadership dismissed that behavior as “boys being boys.”2Andreozzi + Foote. Bible Chapel Ministries The complaint further alleges that Gould and his family had been asked to leave a previous church over similar conduct before joining The Bible Chapel.1MinistryWatch. Pittsburgh Megachurch Sued Over Sex Assault of Special Needs Minor
Because of that history, the church and Gould’s family reportedly agreed that his father would attend every youth activity to supervise him. On the night of the alleged assault, the father was not present and was out to dinner. The suit argues that relying on a single family member for oversight was plainly insufficient and that the church should have barred Gould from activities with minors.2Andreozzi + Foote. Bible Chapel Ministries
The Reporting-Delay Claim
The family learned of the incident on January 5, but the church did not file a report with ChildLine, Pennsylvania’s child abuse hotline, until on or around January 7, and only after the victim’s mother and a therapist contacted the hotline themselves, according to the complaint.3CBS News Pittsburgh. Bible Chapel Ministries Lawsuit Sexual Assault The family’s attorney, Veronica Hubbard, has characterized the delay as a violation of Pennsylvania’s mandatory reporting requirements.4Andreozzi + Foote. Veronica Hubbard
Under Pennsylvania law, clergy, paid staff, and volunteers who work regularly with children are mandated reporters. They must report suspected abuse directly to ChildLine by phone or online, with a written follow-up within 48 hours if the initial report is made by phone. The duty falls on the individual who suspects abuse, not just their supervisor.
The complaint also alleges that when the family contacted the pastor on January 6, church leadership, including the special needs ministry director and church founders, offered prayer as the sole remedy. The suit says the church did not remove the alleged abuser from the congregation, warn other families, or alert law enforcement on its own initiative.2Andreozzi + Foote. Bible Chapel Ministries
How The Bible Chapel Has Responded
Bible Chapel Ministries has acknowledged the incident but framed it differently. The church described what happened as “inappropriate behavior” between two students with special needs rather than a sexual assault. Its full statement:
“Earlier this year, a student with special needs engaged in inappropriate behavior with another student with special needs during Student Ministry. Upon noticing the behavior, the students were immediately separated, families were notified, and the matter was reported to Childline/Child Protective Services and local authorities. The student who initiated the behavior was also suspended indefinitely from all youth activities. Authorities have since completed their investigation and affirmed that we responded appropriately.”3CBS News Pittsburgh. Bible Chapel Ministries Lawsuit Sexual Assault
The church added that “all staff and volunteers are rigorously screened, cleared and trained” and that its Special Needs Ministry is designed to “allow people to attend church with no worries.”3CBS News Pittsburgh. Bible Chapel Ministries Lawsuit Sexual Assault The lawsuit directly challenges those assurances.
No Criminal Charges
No criminal charges have been filed against the alleged abuser. Police declined to pursue charges, noting that both the alleged perpetrator and the victim are individuals with special needs, according to MinistryWatch.1MinistryWatch. Pittsburgh Megachurch Sued Over Sex Assault of Special Needs Minor The absence of criminal charges does not affect the civil lawsuit, which seeks to hold the church liable for negligence rather than to establish criminal guilt.
Where the Case Stands
As of mid-2026, the civil lawsuit remains pending in the Court of Common Pleas with no trial date scheduled. The church has acknowledged that “litigation is underway” and declined to comment further on the specifics. Hubbard has said the family’s goal is accountability and preventing future harm. “They trusted the church. They thought that this was a safe space for my client to go to and that wasn’t the case,” she told CBS News Pittsburgh.3CBS News Pittsburgh. Bible Chapel Ministries Lawsuit Sexual Assault