5 school workers charged with abuse

STOCKTON, Mo. — A southwest Missouri prosecutor said Tuesday that he has charged five employees of a private Christian boarding school with abusing students — far fewer than the number of charges recommended by state investigators.

The five employees of the Agape Boarding School near Stockton were charged with a total of 13 third-degree felony assault counts, Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither said.

Two of those charged are former students who became Agape employees: medical director, Scott L. Dumar, and Seth Duncan, the son-in-law of David Smock, a Stockton doctor who for years has provided medical care for Agape students. The others charged are Christopher R. McElroy, Everett L. Graves and Trent E. Hartman.

The charges come after the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated allegations of abuse at the school.

Based on that investigation, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt recommended prosecuting 22 employees with 65 counts on behalf of 36 victims, including felonies for abuse of a child and tampering with a victim, and misdemeanors for endangering the welfare of a child and failure to report child abuse.

Circle of Hope Girls Ranch near Humansville was closed last year after authorities removed about 25 students amid an investigation into abuse and neglect allegations.

The owners, Boyd and Stephanie Householder, were charged in March and await trial on 100 criminal counts — all but one are felonies — including statutory rape, sodomy, and physical abuse and neglect.