YORKTOWN, Va. — Two sisters are suing a Baptist church in Richmond and the company that now owns it, Yorktown-based Coastal Church, claiming the church enabled a now-convicted youth group assistant to sexually abuse them on church property over a decade ago when they were young children.
Separate lawsuits – one for each sister, who are not named in the complaints – were filed Wednesday by Virginia Beach-based firm Breit Biniazan. The sisters are seeking $150 million each in damages, claiming they endured years of emotional trauma, PTSD, loss of quality of life and earning capacity.
Now aged 25 and 29, the sisters were about 6 and 10 years old in 2006 when they say the abuse began. It lasted until 2009, they allege.
Both suits list Bethany Place Church and Gerald Thomas as defendants. The complaints say Thomas was the youth group assistant who sexually abused the sisters.
The suits also name Coastal Church, LLC as a defendant. The Yorktown-based company oversees a network of seven churches throughout Virginia. The Bethany Campus is in Northern Virginia, but the rest are located throughout Hampton Roads in Chesapeake, Hampton, Gloucester, Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Isle of Wight.
The complaints say while the Richmond-based church didn’t become part of Coastal Church’s network until 2023, the company assumed responsibility for all existing and future liabilities when acquiring the church.
Thomas, 75, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual battery of both sisters in 2010. He also pleaded guilty for the same charge involving a different victim in 2020.
The charges Thomas was convicted of stem from his sexual abuse of the two sisters during his time as a youth group assistant at Bethany Place, the complaints state. The complaints say he touched both sisters underneath their clothing on church property during youth group meetings.
The complaints outline one recurring situation in which he allegedly took one of the sisters to the church’s bathroom, went into the stall with her, locked them both inside and sexually abused her.
The complaints say Thomas was charged for his crimes against the sisters after one of them reported his abuse to a school counselor. However, the complaints state that prior to this, the sisters’ mother had informed a church employee about Thomas’ behavior. The employee told the mother that Thomas would be removed from further interaction with children in the church, but he continued to help with youth group events, the complaints allege.
The complaints further allege that Bethany Place never reported the complaint of sexual abuse to authorities.
In addition to accusing the church of failing to report Thomas, the complaints claim that the sexual abuse happened in front of other adults. One allegation included in one of the complaints states Thomas sexually abused one of the sisters during a weekly youth program “frequently in the plain view and direct line of vision of multiple Bethany Place agents, employees, and representatives.”
WTKR News 3 reached out to Coastal Church for comment, who shared the following response:
We are aware of the pending lawsuit. Coastal Church is committed to transparency and care in all our communications. We are happy to share the statement we have already provided to our congregation which outlines our understanding and position regarding the situation.
A Message from Coastal Church Leadership
Dear Coastal Church Family,
You may have heard about a recent lawsuit involving both Bethany Place Baptist Church and Coastal Church in Chesterfield. In the spirit of authenticity and transparency, I want to take a moment to clarify the situation.We ask for your continued prayers for everyone affected, that God would bring wisdom, healing, and unity as we walk through this together.
- Our Relationship with Bethany Place Church
Bethany Place Church began a relationship with Coastal Church two years ago. The lawsuit concerns a tragic incident that occurred at Bethany Place 16 years ago involving the abuse of children. The individual responsible was identified, convicted, and incarcerated. Bethany Place Church is now under different leadership than at the time of the incident, 16 years ago.- Our Commitment to Safety
At Coastal, the safety of our children is a top priority. We take all matters involving abuse and sexual misconduct with utmost seriousness. We are committed to protecting our congregation and honoring the name of Jesus Christ in all we do.- Legal Process and Communication
Our legal team is actively handling the situation. While there are limits to what we can share at this time, we will keep you informed of any significant updates as we are able.- We're Here to Talk
We understand this may raise questions or concerns. If you’d like to talk further, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your lead pastor or shepherding elder. We welcome the conversation.
With grace and truth,
Coastal Church Leadership
Both sisters are requesting a trial by jury.
