Docs: Volunteer youth church leader in Goshen molested boy, 11, on separate occasions
A volunteer youth church leader faces charges of child molestation.
Police arrested 44-year-old Scott Christner of Goshen yesterday after court documents claim he inappropriately touched an 11-year-old boy.
Court documents say he met the boy at First Baptist Church in Goshen. They show the boy claims Christner touched him on three separate occasions.
Tonight, Christner is behind bars at the Elkhart County Jail.
As a volunteer youth leader at First Baptist Church in Goshen, Christner helped organize events and parties for kids. Court documents say he first touched the boy at the movies when Christner "Put his hand around him and then was touching his private part with his hand under his clothes."
Christner told police he did touch the boy but not under his clothes. The victim says he was too in shock to say anything.
Documents claim the second instance happened when the victim spent the night at Christner's house. Christner admitted to police he touched the boy, this time under his clothes.
The third instance was also at Christner's house.
The victim says when Christner touched him he "kept trying to pull himself away from Scott, but he was grabbing him and not letting go."
Christner denied this instance, saying he was reaching for an iPad and may have brushed against his chest. He told police after the second time, he dropped the boy off and "he said he was sorry and said it would never happen again."
Neighbors were shocked to hear of the charges, saying he was a good neighbor.
The church says it's aware of the charges and are working with police. It says any contact between Christner and the victim was not tied to church activities but would give no further comment.
Child molestation is a Level 4 felony. Christner is being held on a $10,000 bond and will appear in court next month.
