South Carolina Pastor And Wife Face Dozens Of Child Abuse Charges Spanning Decades

(NationalFreedomPress.com) – A South Carolina pastor and his wife face over 90 child abuse charges spanning decades after prosecutors say they weaponized Christianity to justify sadistic torture of vulnerable foster children—while the judge just granted the wife bond despite the horrific allegations.

Story Overview

Kathleen Chorbajian, 71, granted $120,000 bond with house arrest after being charged alongside pastor husband Myron with over 90 counts of child abuse dating back to the 1980s
Myron Chorbajian, 73, former pastor at First Southern Methodist Church in Greenville, remains jailed without bond on charges including sexual abuse, assault with intent to kill, and incest against foster children
Victims report decades of abuse including being forced to eat from dumpsters, sleep in trash cans, endure severe beatings while naked, and witness pet killings as punishment
Prosecutors argue the couple exploited their religious authority and the foster care system to isolate and torment children who had nowhere else to go

Decades of Alleged Abuse Under Religious Cover

Myron and Kathleen Chorbajian face staggering criminal charges stemming from alleged abuse that stretched from the 1980s into the early 2000s. Prosecutors say the couple systematically tortured foster and adopted children in their Greenville County home, using Myron’s role as a pastor to justify unconscionable cruelty. Warrants detail horrific allegations: forcing small children to eat rotten food scavenged from dumpsters, compelling them to sleep in trash cans, paddling naked victims up to 50 times, and beating children unconscious. Myron allegedly sexually abused multiple minors, with charges including eight counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and three counts of incest.

Disturbing Methods to Control Vulnerable Children

The abuse allegations include particularly sadistic tactics designed to terrorize children with no escape. According to warrants obtained by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Myron shot a dog and a kitten in front of the children, then forced them to bury the animals in dirt. Victims report being made to eat dirt as punishment and enduring relentless physical violence that prosecutors describe as torture. These children were “small children in foster care” who had nowhere to go, making them especially vulnerable to manipulation by caregivers who wielded both parental and spiritual authority. The couple allegedly framed the children as “troubled” to outsiders, creating cover for the abuse while presenting themselves as charitable Christians taking in difficult cases.

Arrest and Bond Decision Sparks Outrage

The investigation began in April 2025 after a victim came forward, leading to the couple’s arrest in May 2025 while they visited the Grand Ole Opry in Tennessee. Both were extradited to South Carolina and indicted by a grand jury in November 2025. Myron faces over 40 charges including two counts of assault and battery with intent to kill, 15 counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, and multiple sex crime counts. Kathleen faces 10 to 14 counts of unlawful conduct toward a child and two counts of accessory after the fact, accused of knowing about the abuse but failing to protect the victims. In early February 2026, a judge denied both initial bond requests but later granted Kathleen a $120,000 surety bond with severe restrictions.

Questions About Justice for Foster System Failures

Kathleen now remains under house arrest with GPS monitoring, barred from contact with victims, minors under 18, her husband, and prohibited from leaving home except for medical, legal, or religious purposes. Myron remains jailed without bond. Prosecutors opposed her release, calling the couple a danger to the community and emphasizing their “weaponization of Christianity to justify abuse.” Defense attorneys argued Kathleen posed no flight risk and claimed the state’s case was exaggerated, noting that adult victims had previously visited the home unsupervised. The bond decision raises serious concerns about accountability for those who exploit positions of trust—particularly within faith-based foster care—to harm the most vulnerable. This case underscores the urgent need for robust oversight of religious exemptions in child welfare, as these children suffered for decades while the system failed to protect them from predators hiding behind the cross.