Pastor – Via Home Day Care - Faces Child Molestation Charges

In an unusual turn for a priest abuse case, the Sacramento Bee has reported that this time it's a Baptist pastor/home care provider that stands accused of molesting young girls in his home. 

Citrus Heights pastor, Tommy Gene Daniels, 48, returned to jail on a $6 million bail, will be tried on six felony counts of child molestations.

His victims, as many as five, are all female and one is younger than five.

Court documents and state licensing records show that Daniels' behavior had been the target of both law enforcement and child welfare agencies, as both investigated the day care facility he and his wife ran out of their home.

Daniels is listed as the senior pastor on the First Baptist Church of Rio Linda's website, and his wife, Brenda, 46, is also listed as the church's paid youth director.

Superior Court Judge Lloyd G. Connelly has cited "detailed consistency" of two girls that described separate incidents.  There is no evidence of communication between the girls.

Michael L. Chastaine, a Folsom attorney representing Daniels, was disappointed in the ruling as he had challenged the credibility of the girl's reports.  He said, "There are two possibilities here: Either he did this, and it's horrible. Or he's innocent, and that's even worse.  And there are a lot of people who believe he's innocent."

Tommy and Brenda Daniels lost both their day care and foster care licenses in 2003.  The two were cited for substandard care, state regulation violations, lying to both state and county workers and misappropriating public funds. 

A final mention was Tommy Daniels allegedly threatening a social worker, per California Department of Social Services records, with a gun.

A Loomis-based therapist, possibly without knowledge of the Daniels' losing their licenses, continued to refer, and place, high-needs children in their home. 

Per court testimony and documents, four of five of the victims in the Daniels' home for "respite care" were sent there by licensed marriage and family therapist, Mell LaValley.

LaValley told the court that she had treated one of the Daniels children in 2000 or 2001 and that was how she met the Daniels'.  The Daniels have three adopted children plus two more of their own. 

Children that LaValley had diagnosed with RAD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, were sent to the Daniels home for months at a time for respite care.

Respite care providers in the state of California must have active foster care licensure - if the children are dependents of the court. But biological children, or adopted children, can be placed with any provider, regardless of licensure.

The four children LaValley placed with the Daniels were all legally adopted and not part of the child welfare system. 

Brenda Daniels told the court that the children were sent to live with them because "Mell told them we had success with our kids."

Daniels had also been arrested by Citrus Heights for suspicion of molestation in 2005; no charges were filed.  It wasn't until later, when more victims came forward, that the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office decided to proceed with charges.

Daniels faces six felony counts for lewd and lascivious acts and engaging in "substantial sexual conduct" with a child under the age of 14.

Per court papers and testimony, all of the alleged molestations occurred between 2002 and 2007, and included girls only between the age of 5 and 13.

Have you considered that monetary compensation may be due if you, or someone you love, were molested by a church employee?  Click here for our directory to contact a personal injury lawyer.