[
www.icsahome.com]
Bibliographic data
Cult Leader Charged With Child Abuse
Author:
Posted: 9/19/2004 4:01:20 PM Type: Doc_article
Topic/Group: tp_child_abuse Gathering (The) (Thomas and Isis E. Ringrose)
Publication:Advisor Vol.: 03 No.: 05
Date: 1981 Page(s): 12
URL:
Cult Leader Charged With Child Abuse
A $600,000 damage suit alleging child abuse against two leaders of a Nelson County, Virginia religious group known as The Gathering was settled behind closed doors in federal court on May 19.
Ruth Anne Kane and two other mothers testified that Thomas J. Ringrose and Isis E. Ringrose, leaders of The Gathering beat the children in the group to drive out the “Black forces.” The most frequent forms of abuse, they said, were “thumping,” in which fingernails were rapped against the child’s cheek and holding the child’s head under water until the child could not breathe. This sort of treatment was rendered on various occasions: such as when the child cried; made an odd expression; or received affection from its mother.
The suit was brought by an Austin, Texas minister on behalf of Ms. Kane and her two children, Hotep and Elijah. The suit charged that the Ringroses had severely abused the children many times until September 1979 when Ms. Kane chose to leave the group. The Ringroses reluctantly agreed to settle the case against them by paying a sum of $25,000-$30,000, according to the Charlottesville Daily Progress (May 20).
U.S. District Judge James C. Turk stressed that the Ringroses were not admitting any liability in the case and that they continued to strongly deny any wrongdoing or abuse of children.
Two psychologists testified that 6-year-old Hotep Kane and 3-year-old Elijah Kane exhibited behaviors typical of children subjected to abusive treatment.
Charlottesville lawyer D. Michael Atkins, who represented the Ringroses, said he had medical records, from a pediatrician who gave the children regular examinations, that indicated no physical signs of abuse.
The Gathering was formed in New York City in 1972, and Mr. Ringrose was looked upon as spiritual leader of the group. They moved to Nelson County, Virginia in 1978. According to the Richmond Times Dispatch (May 19), testimony is expected to show that Mr. Ringrose exerted a strong influence over members of the group, giving them new names, telling them when they should marry and when they should have children. Mrs. Kane told the Times that if she felt Ringrose’s behavior “was abusive, I attributed it to my own spiritual shortcoming¼I believed in what was going on in the group. I believed they knew better.”