Settlement Amount: $2.3 million
Abuse Type: Three brothers molested by LDS Scoutmaster
Background
Mark (12), James (10), and Peter (8) Thompson were systematically abused by their ward’s Scoutmaster in Rexburg, ID. The perpetrator used campouts and “Father’s and Son’s” outings to isolate the boys. Despite multiple complaints from parents, the Church simply moved the Scoutmaster to another ward where he continued abusing children.
Collective Trauma
- Mark died by overdose in 2015 (ruled suicide)
- James developed paranoid schizophrenia, believing God was punishing him
- Peter struggled with intimacy disorders and divorced twice
Legal Breakthroughs
- Evidence:
- Obtained the Church’s “confidential” 1997 memo warning about the Scoutmaster
- Found his name on the BSA’s perversion files
- Located 4 other victims in neighboring stakes
- Strategy:
- Used Idaho’s 2021 child abuse SOL extension
- Proved the Church prioritized liability management over child protection
Settlement Terms
- $800,000 per surviving brother
- $700,000 to create a memorial fund in Mark’s name
- Mandated youth protection training for all Idaho LDS troops
Family Statement:
“Injurease uncovered what the Church buried for decades. This settlement honors Mark and protects future children.”
