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by JENN WOOD
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A widening scandal involving a registered sex offender’s access to children at a coastal South Carolina church (and affiliated private academy) has officially become a federal case.
Parents of a child who attended Pawleys Island Christian Academy filed a proposed class action on Monday (August 4, 2026) against the academy, Pawleys Island Community Church, former church and school leaders, registered sex offender Warren Perry.
Two national Southern Baptist organizations were also named as defendants.
The 25-page complaint (.pdf) seeks to represent potentially hundreds of children who attended the academy while Perry was permitted on campus – as well as parents who paid tuition or mandatory enrollment fees during that period.
Filed in U.S. district court in South Carolina, the lawsuit alleged church and academy leaders knowingly permitted Perry to occupy a maintenance, custodial or volunteer position which afforded him “recurring daily access” to young children — despite knowing he was a convicted and registered sex offender.
The federal lawsuit arrived amid an expanding criminal investigation that has already produced five arrests, including the recent arrest of the church official allegedly responsible for campus security and student safety.
None of the allegations in the civil complaint has been proven in court.
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TWO PROPOSED CLASSES
The plaintiffs — identified as John Doe and Jane Doe — filed the lawsuit individually and on behalf of their child, identified as ABC, as well as two proposed classes.
The proposed “Child Class” would include minors who attended Pawleys Island Christian Academy on at least one day while Perry was authorized or permitted to work, volunteer, provide maintenance or custodial services or otherwise remain on the church or academy campus during school hours or academy-sponsored activities.
The proposed “Parent Class” would include individuals who paid tuition or mandatory enrollment fees for children who attended the academy during the same period.
The complaint estimated the proposed classes would likely include at least hundreds of people.
Notably, the class action expressly excluded individualized claims alleging sexual abuse, physical injury, psychological injury or related personal damages. Those claims would remain available for individual children and parents to pursue separately.
The federal lawsuit instead centered on questions the plaintiffs contend are common to all affected families: what church and academy leaders knew about Perry, whether they misrepresented the safety of the campus and whether families paid tuition to an institution that failed to disclose a known danger.
The unnamed parents alleged their child was exposed to Perry in an environment they had been told was safe.
Because of their child’s young age, the complaint stated, they may never be able to determine the full extent of what the child “saw, experienced, or may have been subjected to” while Perry had access to the campus.
Of note, the lawsuit did not allege a specific act of sexual abuse involving the unnamed child as the victim.
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WHY FEDERAL COURT?
Although the lawsuit asserted claims arising primarily under South Carolina law, the plaintiffs invoked federal jurisdiction through the Class Action Fairness Act.
That law permits certain large class actions to proceed in federal court when the proposed class includes more than 100 members, the amount in controversy exceeds $5 million and at least one class member is a citizen of a different state from at least one defendant.
The complaint alleges all three conditions are satisfied.
The proposed classes have not yet been certified. Before the litigation can proceed on behalf of other families, a federal judge must determine whether the case satisfies the requirements of Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
The plaintiffs assert six causes of action:
- Negligence;
- Negligent hiring, retention, supervision, training and control;
- Breach of fiduciary duty;
- Fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment;
- Violations of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act; and
- Reckless infliction of emotional distress.
They are seeking class certification, compensatory and punitive damages, restitution, attorneys’ fees and other relief.
The proposed class is represented by Paul J. Doolittle of Poulin Willey Anastopoulo LLC in Charleston, along with William E. “Bill” Hopkins Jr. and J. Clay Hopkins of the Hopkins Law Firm in Pawleys Island.
The Hopkins’ firm also represents the family behind the July 28 state-court lawsuit accusing South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS) of gross negligence in its supervision of Perry. That complaint alleges probation officials failed to verify Perry’s work and volunteer activities, determine whether he was entering prohibited areas or take timely action to enforce restrictions on his contact with minors.
The federal class action takes a different approach. Rather than pursuing the state agency, it seeks to combine the economic and common institutional claims of families who enrolled children at the academy.
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NATIONAL BAPTIST ORGANIZATIONS NAMED
The federal complaint added two defendants not named in the earlier state lawsuits: the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and its executive committee.
According to the filing, Pawleys Island Community Church is a cooperating church with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, which is affiliated with the national SBC.
The complaint alleged the Pawleys Island congregation participates in and benefits from ministries, resources, programs and cooperative activities made available through those Baptist organizations.
At the same time, the lawsuit described Pawleys Island Community Church as an independent, self-governing and elder-led congregation.
The complaint did not allege that the national convention directly hired or supervised Perry. How the plaintiffs intend to connect the national entities to the alleged misconduct — and whether those organizations exercised any relevant authority over the local church — will likely become a significant issue as the case proceeds.
Also named in the complaint were former senior pastor Donald James “Don” Williams, his wife and former church administrator Virginia Lee “Ginny” Williams, former academy director Jennifer “Niki” Howard, ten unidentified church elders and Perry.
Unlike the state lawsuit filed July 28, the federal complaint did not name the SCDPPPS as a defendant.
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EARLIER CIVIL CASES
The federal filing follows five lawsuits filed in Georgetown County state court during July.
The first, filed July 17, was itself styled as a class action against the church and academy. It sought to represent families whose children attended the academy, church activities or other events where Perry was present during the preceding six years.
Three additional individual lawsuits were filed July 21 – one of which contained the most specific allegation of sexual abuse made in the civil litigation to date.
In that case, the mother of a five-year-old boy alleged her son reported in 2022 that a white-haired man at the academy taught him a sexually explicit “game.” The complaint identified the man as Perry and alleged he sexually assaulted the child on school property.
The mother claims she immediately reported her son’s disclosure to Howard, who allegedly questioned whether the child was making it up. The child was removed from the academy, the allegation was reported to law enforcement and he began receiving counseling, according to the lawsuit.
Authorities have not charged Perry with sexually abusing a child at the church or academy, and the allegation against him remains unproven.
Another complaint was filed on behalf of a child identified as R.K., who was described as younger than five and unable to fully communicate what he saw or experienced. That lawsuit alleged Perry was a familiar presence who entered classrooms, interacted with children and participated in academy activities.
A separate lawsuit involving a child identified as J.D. similarly alleged Perry had direct access to students through his maintenance, custodial and volunteer duties.
The July 28 complaint then expanded the litigation to SCDPPPS, alleging the agency failed to adequately monitor Perry or enforce conditions intended to keep him away from minors.
The newly filed federal action is therefore the sixth civil lawsuit arising from the scandal — and the second seeking some form of class-wide relief.
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ANOTHER CHURCH OFFICIAL ARRESTED
As the civil cases multiply, the criminal investigation in the church has continued to expand.
Michael Anthony Fields, the church’s director of operations and missions, was arrested July 29 and charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing a child harm.
According to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Fields was responsible for security across the church campus and for the safety of students attending Pawleys Island Christian Academy.
His arrest made him the fifth person charged in connection with the investigation.
Don Williams, Ginny Williams and Howard have each been charged with obstruction of justice, criminal conspiracy and unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing a child harm.
Ginny Williams initially faced obstruction and conspiracy charges before investigators added the child-endangerment charge based on information the sheriff’s office said was corroborated through multiple witness statements.
Perry has been charged with obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy. He was also found in violation of his probation, and that matter was bound over to the court of general sessions.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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YEARS OF ACCESS ALLEGED
As FITSNews previously reported, the investigation began after a citizen recognized Perry from South Carolina’s sex offender registry and reported seeing him near children at the academy.
Perry was arrested in 2020 on two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He was convicted on one count in November 2023, received a ten-year sentence suspended to five years of probation and was required to register as a sex offender.
Despite his criminal history, investigators believe Perry began providing maintenance or custodial services at the Pawleys Island church and academy after his 2020 arrest and continued doing so following his conviction.
Church officials allegedly told investigators that Perry volunteered on campus but was subject to safeguards intended to keep him separated from children.
Georgetown County sheriff Carter Weaver said photographs, witness statements and other evidence contradicted those claims.
The federal lawsuit similarly alleges Perry was permitted inside classrooms, childcare rooms, playground areas and other locations occupied by children.
It also points to previous findings by the South Carolina Department of Social Services showing the academy had repeatedly been cited for deficiencies involving background checks, supervision and staffing requirements.
According to the complaint, those violations should have placed church and academy leaders on notice that their child-safety procedures were inadequate.
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NO CRIMINAL SEXUAL-CONDUCT FINDINGS TO DATE
The sheriff’s office is continuing to examine digital evidence extracted from devices used by church leaders and conduct interviews with parents, teachers, students and church members.
The investigation now includes assistance from the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, the Children’s Recovery Center, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office (SCAG), SCDSS and SCDPPPS.
Specialized forensic interviews have also been conducted with academy students who may have been victims or witnesses.
As of the sheriff’s office’s July 29 update, those interviews had not produced any findings of criminal sexual conduct involving children at the academy.
That announcement does not resolve the allegations contained in the individual civil lawsuit involving the five-year-old child, nor does it foreclose additional findings as forensic examinations and interviews continue.
Authorities have repeatedly stressed that the investigation remains active.
Parents whose children attended Pawleys Island Christian Academy, anyone who believes they may have been victimized or anyone with information about the case is asked to contact GCSO at 843-546-5102.
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THE CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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