Baptist pastor accused of molesting teenage relative

[TexasTowelie]

The former pastor of a Southern Baptist church in north Harris County has been arrested in connection with an allegation that he molested a teenage relative for about two years, court records show.

Stephen Bratton, who stepped down from the Grace Family Baptist Church in Cypress Station last month, has since been released from custody at the Harris County Jail after posting a $50,000 bond.

The investigation began on May 16 after Bratton allegedly confessed to three Southern Baptist clergy members that he abused the child, according to court documents. Two of Bratton's co-pastors, Aaron Wright and Erin Frye, called the Harris County Sheriff's Office to their church on Bammel Westfield Road to take a report that same day, while the third pastor, David Shiflet, said he referred the complaint to the Department of Family Protective Services.

-snip-

Bratton most recently testified in support of failed House Bill 896 that would have abolished abortions in Texas and opened up the possibility that prosecutors could charge a woman who undergoes the procedure with criminal homicide. The offense can be punishable by the death penalty under current Texas law.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Police-Former-baptist-pastor-accused-of-14000260.php

The pastor has seven children.

[get the red out]

1. Nothing unexpected

Except that he has been outed for his crimes. I wish these guys wouldn't be called former pastors when their career only just ended by being caught molesting a kid or other crimes.

[rampartc]

2. the cathaholics call them "defrocked" priests.

these days the implication is always sexual misconduct.

[whathehell]

3. Yes, so do the "Anglica-holics" in England and the

" Episcipalia-holics* in the States

Clerical sex abuse: Not just for Catholics
anymore.

[rampartc]

4. i am a recovering catha holic so i know them best

as for the priests, I must have been an ugly alter boy because no one bothered me.

[whathehell]

5. Lol..So you think you're the only ex Catholic on DU?

Sorry, but I'm afraid you're only one of many Catholic and ex-Catholics here, so you do not necessarily "know them best".

You think you must have been an "ugly alter boy"?

No, it's far more likely you were just with one of the vast majority of Catholic priests (94%) who are NOT pedophiles.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/do-the-right-thing/201003/six-myths-about-clergy-sexual-abuse-in-the-catholic-church.

As this article and others explain, Catholic priests are not only NO more likely to molest than the clergy of other religions, they are no more likely than OTHER MEN to molest children.

Have a nice one.