A former children’s ministry director at a Howick church – and her husband – have been jailed in the United States following the death of their adopted child eight years ago.
Sarah Johnson, who held a ministry with Cultivate Kids at Cession Community Church in Howick until mid-2022, and her husband Timothy returned to the US last year.
They moved to New Zealand in 2016 not long after the death of their child Seth, 7, who died of neglect in March 2015.
The Star Tribune reported that the parents received the maximum one-year sentence – an appropriate punishment given their weeks-long failure to intervene with medical care, the judge said.
They pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanour child neglect. Seth endured extensive trauma from an inflamed pancreas and possible infections until he died.
In his final days, the ailing boy was left in the care of his 16-year-old brother while the Johnsons attended a wedding out of town, the paper said.
The couple reportedly administered “medical honey” and prayed over him instead of taking him to the doctor.
At the time of their appointment to Cession Church, no charges had apparently been laid.
Cession-community lead pastor Rev Melissa Powell said the church is committed to ensuring theirs is a place where people are safe and well cared for.
“As part of our commitment to the highest standards of care, we willingly agreed to take part in an independent review of the employment process in relation to the employment of Sarah Johnson, a former employee of Cession-Community,” Powell said.
“The review was undertaken by Pathfinding and was managed by our denominational body.
“This allowed us to be certain of what worked well in our policies and processes and establish any areas where we could improve.
“The review identified that, in this instance, there was a high degree of diligence shown through the processes which were followed.
“The decision to employ the individual was not, in the opinion of Pathfinding, a negligent decision, nor did it breach legislation or denominational policy.
“Our engagement in the review process has further aided us in prioritising the safety of our church – our members, and those who engage with us through our events and programmes.”
