That first summer, Yandell didn’t know what lay ahead. He enjoyed his time at camp, and joined Newman’s Bible study group, which continued via long distance correspondence long after the summer ended. When Yandell returned the following year, Newman kept up their close relationship, singling him out from other campers so they could spend time one on one.When Yandell returned the following year, Newman kept up their close relationship, singling him out from other campers so they could spend time one on one.
Newman was ultimately arrested, charged with and convicted of multiple counts of child sexual abuse; one judge determined his victims numbered “at least 57.” He is currently serving back to back life sentences in a Missouri state prison.The camp claimed to have been blindsided, issuing a statement that they were “deeply saddened and shocked” by the news. For years, Kanakuk maintained that leadership had no prior knowledge that Newman was a danger to kids. But over time, victims would come to believe that wasn’t exactly the case.In the immediate aftermath of Newman’s arrest, Yandell’s father, Greg, said he confronted White: “I asked Joe point blank, ‘Did you ever see anything that concerned you about Pete Newman, or was Pete ever in a situation that was inappropriate with kids?’ Point blank, ‘No, Greg, we never saw anything that would cause any kind of concern and this comes as just a big of a surprise to us as it does to you.’”“He would use scripture to his advantage and make it like we were doing something that was keeping us from sinning. At the time, I guess it made sense to me because of the indoctrination.”
In a statement on its website, the camp has acknowledged this movement: “We realize that the complex language of settlement agreements may have silenced some victims. We also realize that we have added confusion and frustration when we have spoken on this topic. We were wrong in our understanding of the language of many of these agreements, and we failed to recognize the restrictions – both real and perceived – that many victims are under.”Victims accused Kanakuk of knowing that Newman was a danger and putting them at risk, and silencing them with non-disclosure agreements after their abuse.
In 1999, for example, Newman was documented as having ridden a four-wheeler naked around campers, and in 2003 he swam and played basketball naked with young boys.
Yandell’s could be the first of many such cases against Kanakuk that seek to void NDAs, opening the door for survivors to speak freely. Yandell’s lawyer Brian Kent told VICE News he has been in touch with “scores” of Kanakuk abuse survivors and “the goal is to get justice for as many people as possible.”For Yandell, who struggled with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and recurrent health issues for years following his abuse, the lawsuit represents a way forward. “I had given up complete hope on getting any justice around this,” he said. “That NDA was very much debilitating for a very long time.”He said he was inspired to speak out by his fellow victims, such as Trey Carlock, a former camper and Newman victim who died by suicide in 2019, and whose obituary references his abuse at Kanakuk and the years he “fought valiantly against the trauma he suffered.”“Trey Carlock no longer has his voice to speak out against these things,” Yandell said. “So for me it’s extremely important to use my voice to be able to speak the truth about what they continually cover up, even to this day.”“I had given up complete hope on getting any justice around this,” Yandell said. “That NDA was very much debilitating for a very long time.”