Christian School Abuse Case Expands With Guilty Plea, Civil Lawsuit
Lawsuit alleges Maranatha leaders knew of 15 years' worth of incidents involving a daycare worker.
A former day-care worker at Maranatha Christian School in Florence, South Carolina, has pleaded guilty to child abuse charges. At the same time, a civil lawsuit filed by the parents of one victim alleges that the school and its affiliated church had documented concerns about her treatment of children for nearly 15 years.
Maranatha Christian School / Insert of Laurin Boyce
MinistryWatch reported in February 2025 that Florence County deputies arrested day-care worker Laurin Boyce and three other people connected to Maranatha Christian School. Boyce was accused of abusing children in two January incidents, while school principal Dawn Kirven, child-care development director Jessica Elmore and First Free Will Baptist Church pastor Lee Patrick were accused of failing to report the abuse.
Boyce pleaded guilty in May 2025 to two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. A judge sentenced her to concurrent 90-day terms. Authorities released her after she received credit for 93 days served. The 12th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said the plea was negotiated with the victims’ consent. Prosecutors dropped an assault charge as part of the agreement.
Eight days later, Austin and Carrie Royal, parents of one of the children, filed a civil lawsuit in Darlington County Court against Boyce, Maranatha Christian School, Maranatha Childcare Center, First Free Will Baptist Church, Patrick, Kirven and Elmore.
The complaint alleges the January abuse was not an isolated event. Instead, the Royals say records uncovered during the criminal investigation documented more than 20 incidents involving abuse, assault or neglect by Boyce. They also say the records — which include employee incident reports dating to 2011 — prove Maranatha leadership knew about those incidents but continued to employ her.
Among the records cited in the lawsuit is a December 2019 incident report in which a supervisor wrote that she had warned Boyce about “putting her hands on the kids” and told her such conduct was “the easiest way to get on the news, get arrested and get DSS called to our preschool.” The supervisor wrote that she did not suspend Boyce because the information was based on hearsay.
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The lawsuit also gives a more detailed account of the January 2025 incident that led to the investigation.
According to the complaint, another employee reported seeing Boyce assault a 20-month-old girl and informed Elmore, Kirven and Patrick. The employee later contacted the child’s parents.
When the parents asked to see surveillance footage, they allege Kirven initially showed them a shorter segment and said a longer video was “messing up” or “skipping.” The Royals allege the video played normally after they asked Kirven to step away from the computer, allowing them to see the alleged assault. The father then contacted the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.
Those allegations have not been adjudicated. In court filings, Maranatha and the other institutional defendants answered the lawsuit, and Boyce filed a separate response. The Royals subsequently filed additional motions as the civil case continued. The plaintiffs seek actual, consequential and punitive damages and have requested a jury trial.
Maranatha Christian School and First Free Will Baptist Church previously told WMBF News that attorneys had advised them not to discuss the specifics of the lawsuit. “As we navigate this difficult situation in the life of our church and school, we ask for prayers and we thank the hundreds of people who have reached out to show their support,” their statement said. “It is our constant and foremost goal that the Lord be glorified in this and in every situation.”
In December 2025, after further investigation, prosecutors dropped Elmore’s charge. Authorities said she had reported some matters and that she was the least responsible of the three accused of failing to report. The victims’ families agreed she should not be prosecuted, authorities said.
Kirven and Patrick still face unresolved failure-to-report charges. Florence County dockets show that judges amended their bond conditions in February 2026, but no final disposition is public. Both cases currently list requests for preliminary hearings.
On its website, Patrick is still listed as pastor at First Free Will Baptist Church. Maranatha’s current faculty and staff page no longer lists Kirven, although an older administration page identifies her as principal for the 2025-2026 school year.
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