Missouri
Abuse at a Missouri Christian camp lasted decades, but a new bill would only help some victims
Victims of abuse at one of the largest Christian camps in the country are backing a Missouri bill that would allow older adult victims to seek legal action. But even an expanded statute of limitations would likely leave out victims who are now too old to sue under state law.
HB 1617 would add 10 years to the existing statute of limitations, allowing victims to file lawsuits until they reach age 41. The bill was passed out of the state House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 27.
“It would give them more time to work through their own pain and suffering,” said Bobby Thrasher, an attorney for a former Kanakuk camper abused by counselor Pete Newman.
After his arrest in 2009, Newman admitted to sexually abusing more than a dozen campers at the Branson-based summer camp. Prosecutors argued the number is likely far higher. Under current Missouri law, those victims must take legal action before they turn 31.
For many victims abused as children, that’s not enough time. Thrasher’s client, who was abused by Newman from 2005 to 2008, is now in his late 20s. The bill would give victims like him additional years “before re-traumatizing themselves and trying to bring a lawsuit against an organization — or re-face the perpetrator themselves,” Thrasher said.
But as uncovered by journalist Nancy French, accounts of abuse at Kanakuk go back decades, meaning some victims are already over 31. In one case, almost 40 years has passed since former Kanakuk camper Jody Jones was abused by a counselor named Chuck Price in 1985. Jones was 8 years old at the time.
“They let him pack his bags and walked out the door. But there was no investigation. There was no police report,” she told St. Louis on the Air in 2022, describing what happened after she alerted the camp to the abuse in 1990.
Thrasher, the attorney, said that while limited, the proposed bill is an important step, though there would be no retroactivity.
“We would have to amend the state constitution. There’s more steps involved,” Thrasher said. “It just becomes a bigger fight in order to get a law like that.”
Not all victims of abuse can be described as survivors. Elizabeth Phillips’ brother, Trey Carlock, was abused by Newman as a camper at Kanakuk. As an adult, Carlock took his own life at age 29. His family chose to disclose his abuse in his obituary, naming Kanakuk in the process.
“Because we were public about his abuse in that obituary, other families began reaching out and sharing their stories,” Phillips said. “And it became this mini ‘Me Too’ movement around Kankuk victims connecting for the first time.
Along with Thrasher, journalist Nancy French joined Monday’s St. Louis on the Air to share her insights from her investigations into Kanakuk and to discuss what’s happened since her 2021 reporting revealed evidence that the camp had ignored warnings about Newman and other counselors.
“I have heard a gigantic collective shrug of the shoulders from the American church,” French said. “I thought that if I could prove even a fraction of what I’ve speculated about this camp, that it would be a bombshell in the evangelical church — that they would react vociferously and with righteous indignation. Instead, people have not responded in the way that I anticipated. It’s almost like evangelical Christians can believe that Catholics have a sex abuse problem, but not them.”
To hear the full discussion with attorney Bobby Thrasher and journalist Nancy French, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Google Podcast or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Roshae Hemmings is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
Copyright 2024 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 20 drawing
Midday: 6-4-7
Midday Wild: 1
Evening: 0-2-2
Evening Wild: 2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 20 drawing
Midday: 5-1-9-1
Midday Wild: 9
Evening: 2-5-8-0
Evening Wild: 4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 20 drawing
Early Bird: 12
Morning: 10
Matinee: 09
Prime Time: 03
Night Owl: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 20 drawing
01-11-14-16-18
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 20 drawing
04-29-35-40-43, Powerball: 21
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Reinforcing the offensive line has been a priority for the New Orleans Saints, who opened free agency by signing former Buffalo Bills left guard David Edwards to a four-year, $61 million contract. Even though the franchise has allocated plenty of resources to its offensive line, the free agency addition won’t stop them from seeking more offensive line talent.
The franchise is focused on protecting second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. If a starting offensive lineman is injured, someone must step up. Currently, Asim Richards is the only reliable backup for left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. or right tackle Taliese Fuaga. On the interior, Dillon Radunz would make sense as a reliable replacement if someone were to go down between Edwards, center Erik McCoy, and right guard Cesar Ruiz.
Drafting a promising offensive lineman in 2026 makes sense, as the Saints hold five Day 3 picks. It’s unlikely general manager Mickey Loomis will spend early draft capital on a tackle, but a late pick is logical. Missouri’s Keagen Trost, projected for Day 3, could fit this need.
Trost, 25, recently worked out privately with the Saints, a source told Saints Wire. The Missouri standout earned a 92.4 Pro Football Focus grade in 13 games last season, ranking No. 1 among 632 eligible collegiate tackles. He also allowed just one sack in 834 total snaps.
Trost’s high grades project him in the fifth round, and he offers versatility, including potential to move inside. At his pro day, he measured 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds. The main issue is his 32 3/8-inch arms, which are shorter than teams prefer for starting tackles. He has extensive SEC experience and strong college production to back it up.
Picks No. 150 and 172 in the fifth round are logical choices for New Orleans to consider selecting Trost. Multiple teams have shown interest in him; he had five pre-draft visits and recently held virtual meetings with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Atlanta Falcons, according to a source. While there are many highly regarded offensive linemen in this class, Trost’s versatility appears to set him apart from the others.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 19, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 4-7-3
Midday Wild: 7
Evening: 8-8-3
Evening Wild: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 9-0-8-0
Midday Wild: 9
Evening: 1-8-4-8
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 19 drawing
Early Bird: 15
Morning: 15
Matinee: 07
Prime Time: 10
Night Owl: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 19 drawing
08-14-24-27-28
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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