Former Kanakuk employee charged with sexual abuse of children in Dallas

A former Kanakuk Kamp employee is facing charges of sexual abuse of children. The charges stem from his time at a private school in Dallas.

Dallas police released a statement accusing 46-year-old Matthew Harmon of engaging in illegal activities with a minor in 2007 at Providence School in Dallas, where he was a teacher and coach from 2004 to 2007.

Further details were not provided in the press release, but the website FactsAboutKanakuk.com noted that Harmon was charged with second-degree sexual abuse of a child on Wednesday before posting $40,000 bail on Thursday.

More:Kanakuk Kamps’ insurer says it is not responsible for withholding information about abuse from parents

The website was launched following the highly publicized abuse scandal involving one of Kanakuk’s senior counselors, Pete Newman. He pleaded guilty in 2010 to seven counts of sexually abusing boys at the Christian camp in Branson. He is currently in prison serving two life sentences.

Dallas police said Harmon worked at Kananuk Kamps in Branson and Durango, Colorado, from 1995 to the mid-2000s and was also at Trinity Christian Academy from 2019 to 2014.

Over the course of their years-long investigation, Dallas investigators found that Harmon allegedly came into contact with thousands of children through his work and volunteer efforts. DPD says other alleged victims have also been identified, but they may have additional victims who have not yet been identified.

A 2022 investigative series published in the News-Leader detailed several cases of abuse committed by Newman and other staff and volunteers at Kanakuk, both before and after Newman’s tenure, as well as policies at the camp that contributed to an environment in which abuse was overlooked, downplayed or not reported. The series received the 1st award for best investigative reporting from the Missouri Press Association in 2023.

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