Pastor Arrested For Hitting, Paddling Student

December 12, 2012

An Escambia County pastor and administrator of a local Christian academy, was arrested after a student accused him of punching her several times in the leg for misbehaving and paddling her on two other occasions.

Willie Demps, 69, was arrested at S. L. Jones Christian Academy after an interview with deputies about the incidents. Demps was accused of child abuse after a student told her grandparent that she had been paddled by Demps on December 3rd and December 5th for misconduct. The student then came home limping on December 7th and told her grandparent that Demps had punched her thigh several times after an altercation on the bus with another student, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies contacted Demps at the school where he provided deputies with a statement. After all parties were interviewed and observing the physical evidence, Demps was placed under arrest for three counts of child abuse. He was released from jail on a  $3,000 bond.

Comments

17 Responses to “Pastor Arrested For Hitting, Paddling Student”

  1. molino mommy on December 14th, 2012 8:47 am

    You all are missing the fact that it IS against the law! That is why this man was arrested. I’d be damned if another adult laid a hand on my child.

  2. Deborah on December 13th, 2012 3:41 pm

    Paddling should be reinstated in schools.

  3. Sound Mind on December 13th, 2012 11:33 am

    If a bruised thigh was part of the “physical evidence” observed, bruises and limping could have been a direct result of fighting on a school bus. I don’t think a paddling alone would cause such a thing. WoW. I hope the allegations are not true. This pastor has other people to assist in life and doesn’t need this stigma attached if it is indeed a lie. And the little girl has her whole life ahead of her and needs to start behaving appropriately.

    Parents, children, and adults all have to be responsible for their actions.

  4. Michael on December 13th, 2012 9:55 am

    Great, now we taught the kid that they were right. Continue behavior. Good thinking society.

  5. Fhg on December 13th, 2012 3:03 am

    Hey A1, why would the grandmother have contacted the Escambia county school district. SL Jones is a private Christian school with no affiliation as stated in the article. We all know that discipline and standards were different in the past. Leave it there.

  6. curious on December 12th, 2012 8:06 pm

    Alot of kids these days do not have respect, some will say you have no right or you ain’t my momma. My grandmother used to tell me if I wanted my kids to act right in public you have to start them @ home & when they’re young. She said you can’t let them go then decide to do something because it will not work. I will say this, you have to have respect for other people before you can teach it, and there are some grandparents & some greatgrandparents that do not teach it now. As for the man that was charged he was probably charged for hitting in thigh that was uncalled for.

  7. A1 10-48 on December 12th, 2012 5:44 pm

    See the grandma contacted the police cause she knows if she would have contacted the escambia county school district nothing would be done and as for sueing the escambia county school system good luck with that. The lawyers here wont do nothing you have to find someone out of town……

  8. tw on December 12th, 2012 3:28 pm

    I was paddled once in junior high school by Coach Jones and was praying that my mom didn’t find out because I would have had a bigger problem when I got home. Needless to say I didn’t have to get a paddling ever again during my junior or high school years.

  9. 429SCJ on December 12th, 2012 1:42 pm

    @Why, don’t be alarmed, I was just being phecious (fecisous).

    If they had their butts paddled, they would learn the connection between inappropriate behavior and the consequences thereof.

  10. dad on December 12th, 2012 10:11 am

    I got paddled a few times in my day. Never got punched in the thigh. That is not at all professional. Especially for a man to be punching a girl.

  11. why? on December 12th, 2012 10:07 am

    to 429SCJ: WHY would you even consider sueing the school district? Obviously if you had been doing what you should have been doing in school, you wouldn’t have been reprimanded in the first place. Funny how people can’t take responsibility for their own actions and always want to blame others and get everyone else in trouble.

  12. Ben Thar on December 12th, 2012 9:56 am

    Not excusing his actions, but sounds like the child ain’t exactly a saint, either.

  13. Omg on December 12th, 2012 9:09 am

    I got paddled. Never caused me any type of harm except a sore butt! What is wrong with kids these days??? I do believe in punishment at school. I always sign the paper. If my child got into trouble, guess what ? I got a phone call, went to the school, watched the lick( as in one !) be done. My kid never accused anyone of abuse . And always asked them “not to tell momma.” Simply because he would have punishment at home. I never beat or abused my kid, but I’m sure he wished I did. He would not have video games, cell phone, iPod, computer,TV, friends , or a life. He would be very domesticated with no privaliges. Now he is in the Marine Corps. Graduated high school with honors. Because I WAS and STILL am a parent . Laws are abused. Look deeper into the whole situation.

  14. Got Paddled on December 12th, 2012 8:48 am

    I have been paddled. Hurt my butt, and realized that disrespect was not tolerated. My parents always knew of it and even came to watch. Then when I got home I got more for taking time from parents work to go see me be punished for misbehaving. Three licks is nothing compared to some fool beating the crap out of a kid. There is a difference in abusing and discipline. What were the reasons? Was it to correct bad behavior or just spite on child’s part to prove once again we cannot correct our kids without going to jail??? Some of the laws are misconstrued.

  15. Garry on December 12th, 2012 7:49 am

    Perhaps if more parents paddled their children others would not feel the need. There are two Pastors in Texas who received lengthy prison sentences for this same scenario. Joshua Thompson and Caleb Thompson. The parents of the child actually brought the child to the Pastor for receive a spanking. Our law makers have completely lost their collective minds.

  16. Abe on December 12th, 2012 7:32 am

    Knight and McWilliams would have been lock away had the standards been the same then as they are now. I would testify against them given the occaision.

  17. 429SCJ on December 12th, 2012 6:11 am

    Mz Peavy at A.C. Moore, Mr Johnson at Jim Allen, Mr Knight at Ransom Middle and Mr McWilliams of Tate High paddled me regularly. I don’t know if it helped, but I do not believe it harmed me much if any? I do not remember them being arrested.

    I would sue the school districts, but the statue of limitations have expired and most of the above mentioned faculty are walking with the saints.