Pawleys Island Community Church Abuse Scandal Explained

Tracking the scandal surrounding South Carolina-based Pawleys Island Community Church and its former Pawleys Island Christian Academy after church leaders were accused of knowingly allowing convicted sex offender Warren Spence Perry to work around young children, triggering five arrests, multiple lawsuits, allegations of child sexual abuse, leadership resignations and the closure of the church-run school.

A Convicted Sex Offender Was Allowed To Work On A Church Campus Filled With Young Children. Warren Perry volunteered as a custodian at Pawleys Island Community Church, which operated Pawleys Island Christian Academy on the same campus. Perry had been convicted in 2023 of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and was prohibited from having direct contact with minors as a condition of his probation. [GEORGETOWN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE]

Church Leaders Knew About Perry’s Sex-Offender Status. Former senior pastor Don Williams acknowledged at a contentious July congregational meeting that he, other church leaders, staff members and academy leadership knew about Perry’s conviction while he continued volunteering on campus. [CHURCHLEADERS]

Williams Said Leaders Made A Decision Not To Tell Parents And Teachers About Perry. During the church meeting, Williams defended limiting disclosure of Perry’s background to a small group of leaders and said church officials believed safeguards were sufficient to keep him from prohibited contact with children. Parents in attendance reacted angrily to the explanation. [WMBF]

The Sheriff Said Claims That Perry Was Kept Away From Children Were “Simply Not True.” Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver said church leaders initially told investigators that Perry was not permitted around children, but investigators found evidence contradicting that account. Weaver publicly displayed photographs showing Perry participating in activities while children were nearby. [CHURCHLEADERS]

Students Reportedly Interacted With Perry Regularly. An incident report said students frequently interacted with Perry, including drawing pictures for him and giving him gifts. Investigators also obtained photographs and other evidence indicating he was in close proximity to children despite his probation restrictions. [WMBF]

The Academy Advertised An Auction Allowing A Child To Spend A Day Working With Custodians Including Perry. Evidence provided to investigators included an academy email advertising an auction opportunity in which a child could spend a workday assisting the school’s custodians, one of whom was Perry. [WMBF]

A Teacher Allegedly Raised Concerns About Perry And Was Forced Out. According to a complaint provided to investigators, a teacher objected to Perry working around children but was allegedly told by administrators that he had rehabilitated himself and that judging him was “not a Christian thing to do.” The complaint said the teacher was subsequently effectively forced from her position. [WMBF]

Perry Allegedly Failed To Tell His Probation Officer That The Church Operated A School And Childcare Facility. Perry disclosed that he volunteered at the church but did not tell probation officials that the same campus contained programs serving young children. Officials said he repeatedly reported that he was not having contact with minors. [WMBF]

Perry Was Found To Have Violated His Probation. After a parent alerted authorities, probation officials arrested Perry. At a subsequent administrative hearing, he was found in violation of his probation and the matter was sent to South Carolina General Sessions Court. [WMBF]

Former Pastor Don Williams, Ginny Williams And Academy Director Niki Howard Were Arrested. Authorities charged the former church leaders with offenses including obstruction of justice, criminal conspiracy and unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing a child harm. The charges are allegations and have not resulted in findings of guilt. [GEORGETOWN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE]

The Church’s Operations And Security Director Became The Fifth Person Arrested. Michael Anthony Fields, Pawleys Island Community Church’s director of operations and missions, was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing a child harm. The sheriff said Fields had responsibility for campus security and the safety of academy students. [GEORGETOWN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE]

Perry’s Relationship With The Pastor’s Family Extended Beyond Ordinary Church Volunteering. Records uncovered during the controversy showed that in April 2026 Perry appointed Ginny Williams as his power of attorney, with Don Williams designated as her successor. The document gave them authority to conduct numerous legal and financial activities on Perry’s behalf. [WMBF]

A Lawsuit Alleges Perry Sexually Abused A Child At The Academy. One civil complaint filed by a mother alleges that her son was sexually abused while attending Pawleys Island Christian Academy in 2022 and identifies Perry as the alleged perpetrator. The allegation remains a claim in civil litigation and has not been established by a criminal conviction. [WMBF]

Law Enforcement Said Its Child Interviews Had Not Established Criminal Sexual Conduct. As the investigation expanded, the Children’s Recovery Center conducted specialized forensic interviews with students who potentially had contact with Perry. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office said those interviews had not produced findings of criminal sexual conduct as of its August update, while emphasizing that the investigation remained ongoing. [GEORGETOWN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE]

The Church And Academy Were Hit With A $25 Million Class-Action Lawsuit. Parents filed suit alleging the church and academy knowingly allowed Perry access to children while failing to disclose his sex-offender status. The complaint sought more than $25 million in actual and punitive damages on each of two claims. [WMBF]

At Least Six Civil Lawsuits Were Filed Over The Scandal. By August, litigation included individual claims and class actions accusing the church, academy and former leaders of negligence, concealment, inadequate supervision and exposing children to a registered sex offender. [LIVE 5 NEWS]

A Federal Class Action Also Named The Southern Baptist Convention. An August federal lawsuit named Pawleys Island Community Church, the academy, former leaders, the Southern Baptist Convention and the SBC Executive Committee among the defendants. The SBC said it would review the case after being formally notified and declined substantive comment on pending litigation. [SPECTRUM NEWS]

State Records Showed Repeated Background-Check Problems At The Academy Before The Scandal. South Carolina regulators found Pawleys Island Christian Academy out of compliance with background-check requirements during inspections in February 2024, March 2024 and March 2026. The specific deficiencies were later reported as corrected, but their existence fueled criticism of the school’s broader safety practices. [WMBF]

The Church Had Previously Faced A Negligence Lawsuit Involving A Minor In 2005. A 2005 lawsuit accused Pawleys Island Community Church and then-pastor Don Williams of negligence in connection with allegations that a minor was assaulted by another man. The civil case was dismissed in 2006, and criminal rape charges against the alleged perpetrator were also dropped. [WMBF]

Don And Ginny Williams, Niki Howard And Several Elders Resigned During The Crisis. Don and Ginny Williams stepped down after 27 years at the church, Howard resigned as academy director and several elders initially left their positions as the investigation and public backlash intensified. [WMBF]

Pawleys Island Christian Academy Permanently Closed After 25 Years. Current church leaders announced in August that they were ending the academy ministry, acknowledging that the scandal had “severed trust” and citing the ongoing investigation and licensing problems. [PAWLEYS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH]

South Carolina Officials Accused The Academy Of Misrepresenting Why It Could Not Reopen. The Department of Social Services objected to the church citing a “licensing delay,” saying the academy could not legally operate because it had failed to propose a replacement director who met state requirements and passed required background checks. DSS said the academy voluntarily surrendered its operating license. [LIVE 5 NEWS]

Some Elders Who Initially Stepped Down Later Returned To Leadership. Church leaders subsequently announced that several previously ordained elders had resumed active leadership roles, saying their initial departure had followed outside advice that was later judged not to have been carefully considered. [WMBF]

The Church Announced A “Partnership” With Child-Abuse Prevention Group MinistrySafe. As it prepared to reopen its separate PICC Kids ministry, the church said it had partnered with MinistrySafe to strengthen background checks, screening, training, policies and oversight for people working with children. [WMBF]

MinistrySafe Publicly Denied That Any Partnership With The Church Existed. On August 24, MinistrySafe said Pawleys Island Community Church had merely signed up for access to its self-directed resources and that there had been no communication or agreement establishing a partnership. The organization called the church’s description of a partnership “misleading and inaccurate.” [LIVE 5 NEWS]

The Church Reopened Its Children’s Ministry With New Safeguards While The Criminal Investigation Continued. PICC Kids resumed on August 23 with the church saying all participating staff and volunteers would undergo multi-point background checks and sexual-abuse prevention training. The affiliated academy remained permanently closed and six civil lawsuits and the criminal investigation were still pending. [WMBF]

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