Parents whose sons allegedly were molested by a volunteer at NorthStar Church in Kennesaw have filed two lawsuits against the Cobb County church.
One of the allegations stems from a February lock-in sponsored by NorthStar. The other is from a different church-sponsored event. The church was negligent for allowing a man with "dangerous propensities around young boys" to volunteer with children, according to copies of the suits obtained by the AJC.
The suits were filed May 23 in Clayton County State Court because that is where the registered agent for the church is located, the attorney for the plaintiffs said. Neither the victims nor their parents are identified in the suits due to the sensitive nature of the litigation.
Cesar Arlone Pastrana, 25, was arrested Feb. 10 and charged with several counts of child molestation and sodomy reported by children attending the event the previous weekend, police have said. A subsequent arrest warrant also accused Pastrana of inappropriate contact with church youth last autumn in his Kennesaw home.
When Pastrana was arrested, the Rev. Mike Linch told the AJC he learned of the accusations against Pastrana two days after a weekend event held Feb. 3-5 for high school and middle school students.
"He denied the allegation, but we immediately released him as a volunteer in our ministry and asked him to not come back to NorthStar," Linch said in a one-page statement.
Church leaders contacted police, who then launched an investigation. In February, then-Acworth Police Chief Michael Wilkie told the AJC the church had done its due diligence by conducting a background check on Pastrana that revealed no criminal history.
Both Cobb County police and the county school system later said Pastrana had been banned from a local school, but would not release details.
"Defendant was aware of Mr. Pastran's dangerous propensities but continued to place young boys at risk of molestation and sexual contact by placing them and Mr. Pastrana in close proximity," one lawsuit states.
Both suits seek unspecified damages, including for personal injuries and medical costs, and trials by jury, the suits state.
The plaintiffs' attorney, David Krugler, declined to discuss the case in an emailed statement to the AJC. Church leaders did not respond to an emailed request for comment Friday afternoon.
Earlier this month, Pastrana was indicted on 15 counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation for the alleged crimes. He remained Friday night in Cobb County jail, where he was being held without bond.
About the Author
