The parents of Cindy Clemishire, the Oklahoma woman who this summer accused Gateway Church founder Robert Morris of abuse, gave their first public statement on their daughter’s story in a letter to The Dallas Morning News.
Clemishire told Christian blog The Wartburg Watch in June that Morris sexually abused her from the ages of 12 to 17. Four days after that story was published, Morris resigned from his position as senior pastor of Gateway, which has nine D-FW campuses and 100,000 members, according to the church.
Morris has provided one public statement on Clemishire’s story. He spoke to The Christian Post in a June article the day after Clemishire came forward, admitting to “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.”
The News has attempted to reach Morris at multiple phone numbers and mailed letters requiring a signature to four addresses listed for Morris in public records but has not heard back.
A set of 2007 emails obtained by The News show that an attorney for Morris corroborated Clemishire’s account that Morris began to conduct “inappropriate behavior” — “kissing and petting” — with her in 1982, when she was 12.
The News profiled Clemishire this month to understand how Morris’ actions impacted her.
In a letter to The News, Clemishire’s parents, Susan, 78, and Jerry, 81, shared how Morris’ abuse affected them, as well.
“As the parents of Cindy Clemishire, we will never forget hearing our 17-year-old daughter tell us she had been sexually abused beginning at the age of twelve by our trusted family friend, Robert Morris,” the parents wrote to The News. “We were shocked, devastated, angry and extremely sad.”
“Decades of suffering do not go away because her story of child sexual abuse is finally being heard,” they also wrote. “But it is a testimony to our determination as a family, and Cindy’s unbreakable spirit to heal and live a life of joy and purpose.”
Adrian Ashford covers faith and religion in North Texas for The Dallas Morning News through a partnership with Report for America.
