Iowa cops rescue 88 children from Bible study camp in terrifying human trafficking investigation
The Louisa County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at the Shekinah Glory camp, operated by the Kingdom Ministry of Rehabilitation and Recreation, in Columbus Junction on June 12 and 13 as part of the ongoing investigation.
Following reports of potential criminal activity, the 88 children were transported from the camp to the Wapello Methodist Church, where they met with child protection workers and were later placed in protective custody, WQAD8 reported.
Victor Bawi, the son of a minister at the camp, confirmed to KWQC that the camp is under investigation for possible violations involving child abuse, endangerment and human trafficking.
He also denied the allegations and said that as of now, no arrests have been made.
Bawi claimed that a 15-year-old boy from Texas called authorities because he didn't want to be at the camp.
'We never harmed that child. We loved him,' Bawi told KWQC. 'We bought him like $400 shoes, clothing, everything.'
Bawi said the camp was created for Christian teenagers from across the country and insisted the children were not in danger.
'Of course I'm upset,' he said. 'The children are pretty upset too, the ones that are with us - well, there's no children with us - but the ones that were with us, and then hopefully this can be resolved soon.'
He continued, 'If they want to investigate, they can investigate. We're innocent. They're not going to find anything. Never abuse anyone. You can ask the children as well, they were having fun. During the scene where they took away the children, they were crying. One of my sisters, they had to give her oxygen. She wasn't breathing. She was sad.'
Bawi also expressed hope that the children would return.
'We hope that the children are well and they can come back. We talked to the children and their parents. They want to come back. They want to send their children back.'
The pastor of Wapello Methodist Church said he opened the building after receiving a call from the sheriff's office about the need for a safe space.
He reported that between 80 and 88 children were brought in, though most did not stay overnight. As of Monday, no children remained at the church, according to KQWC.
Columbus Junction residents expressed shock at the incident.
'We don't really see cops - I mean, we live on a gravel road, so it's pretty quiet,' one neighbor told WQAD8. 'They always look like they are having a good time over there. They're always playing soccer or playing games.'
He claimed that a 15-year-old boy from Texas called authorities because he didn't want to be at the camp. Pictured: The Shekinah Glory camp operated by the Kingdom Ministry of Rehabilitation and Recreation in Columbus Junction
The Kingdom Ministry of Rehab and Recreation was founded in Columbus Junction in 2018, according to its website.
'What we try to do is, we take care of adults and children who are under the influence of drugs, alcohol, nicotine,' Bawi, said.
'The adults and children, we take care of them, we provide food for them. The children we separate from the adults. We separate the boys and girls. We care for them, we provide for them. This summer camp.'
According to the ministry's website, it currently rents five mobile homes and houses over 60 people, with plans to build a church and housing for 100 residents by 2025.
The Bawi family are members of the Chin ethnic minority, originally from Burma (Myanmar), the New York Post reported.
According to an Iowa cultural organization, the state has resettled thousands of refugees fleeing the world's longest-running civil war.
Iowa now hosts one of the largest Burmese populations in the Midwest, with many refugees living in Columbus Junction and working at the Tyson Foods Inc. meat packing plant, which employs translators to assist non-English speakers.
Burma was added to a State Department travel ban list on June 16, as reported by the New York Post.
The investigation into the camp remains ongoing.
The operation was carried out by the Louisa County Sheriff's Office in coordination with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Columbus Junction Police Department, according to WQAD8.
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