Janice R. Andrews
Jordan Henderson, a 34-year-old Pierce County volunteer worship pastor and elementary school teacher, was charged with nine counts of first-degree child abuse today in a startling development. Henderson appeared in court on Friday and entered a not guilty plea to all counts.
Five girls from Evergreen Elementary School boldly came forward and reported that Henderson had abused them while they were in class, leading to the arrest. He was quickly taken into custody at his Gig Harbor home by deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. of PCSD said that the investigation was started when one of the victims told her parents about the assaults back in February. Moss stressed the seriousness of these claims and said that children’s safety is the top priority.
Disturbing details of the alleged instances were disclosed in court records, including Henderson’s attempts to normalize the inappropriate behavior by informing the victims that it was a common practice among teachers. Furthermore, students pledged to look out for one another and communicated worries with one another.
The Peninsula School District has placed Henderson, who also held the position of volunteer worship pastor at Wellspring Fellowship, on administrative leave. Although he acknowledged the seriousness of the charges, his father, Chris Henderson, the main pastor of Wellspring Fellowship, offered support for his son.
A judge set $100,000 bail during Friday’s court proceedings and mandated electronic home monitoring for Henderson in the event that he was released. It is forbidden for him to interact with any children other than his own. The accused victims and their families were also given a protection order by the judge after they appeared in court and talked about their trauma and dread.
One of the victims’ families was represented by attorney Kevin Hastings, who hinted that there might be further victims and urged the public to come forward with any information.
Peninsula School administration Superintendent Krestin Bahr assured the community that the administration is taking the accusations seriously and reiterated the district’s commitment to student safety and wellbeing.
While police continue to look into these extremely concerning charges, the community struggles with shock and worries about the protection of its youngsters as this distressing case develops.
