Christian Children’s Ranch Employees Accused Of Sexually Abusing Two Teenage Girls

Michael Paul Magill and Jennifer Nicole Magill are accused of sexually abusing two girls in their care at the Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, Idaho.

The Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, Idaho made national news this week after sheriff’s officials arrested two of the facility’s house parents for sexually abusing children in their care.

According to KTVB, Michael Paul Magill, 30, and Jennifer Nicole Magill, 32, were house parents at the Christian Children’s Ranch for 11 months, where they worked as youth group leaders and camp counselors. The Magills were both charged with one count of felony sexual battery of a minor and one count of felony sexual abuse of a child. There are two known victims, a 17-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl; however Sheriff’s officials say the Magills may have additional victims. The couple is due to appear in court Monday.

“The Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, Idaho affords a safe and loving environment to children (boys & girls, ages 0-17) from circumstances that are disturbing to desperate,” according to the ranch’s website. “They come to us for many reasons, but each child needs the loving care of adults they can trust, and feel safe from abuse. Sometimes they lack the basic skills like food and shelter.”

The Magills are no longer employed at the ranch, and their pictures have been removed from the group’s website. The “accredited ACE Christian school” (which describes food and shelter as skills on their website) is cooperating fully with the sheriff’s office according to KTVB.

The Christian Children’s Ranch is currently hiring additional House Parents. The application for employment is heavily religion-based, and asks nine religion-related questions, such as:

• “How long have you been a Christian?”
• “How long have you attended the Christian Church/Church of Christ?”
• “How does someone accept Jesus as the son of God?”

Maybe the ranch should focus more on the questions below the religious ones on the application:

• “Have you or your spouse ever been convicted of a felony?”
• “Have you or your spouse ever been convicted of misdemeanor child abuse?”

 

Image via ADA County Sheriff’s Office