'We All Make Mistakes And This Was A Big Mistake'

'We All Make Mistakes And This Was A Big Mistake'

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Story Published: Jul 30, 2003 at 5:05 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:07 AM PDT

By Kevin Reece

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ISSAQUAH - Three teen-age boys are accused of sexually assaulting three girls at a church camp in Issaquah.

"Some people were hurt," said Congregational Ministries Coordinator Dave Ellingson. "It was not part of what we have expected to happen but sometimes these things do happen."

But even police admit they would not expect it to happen here: 120 teenagers from throughout the Northwest staying for a week on campus at Trinity Lutheran College. It is scheduled as a week of leadership and Christian values to focus on their gifts, their abilities, and how they can serve society. The conference allegedly began with the exact opposite.

Police say the teens were in a co-ed dorm, boys in one part of the building, girls in another.

Late Monday night police say three of the boys went into two different girl's dorm rooms. Two girls were allegedly assaulted at the same time in one room and a third victim assaulted in the other.

"It was one on one," said Issaquah Police Commander Stan Conrad. "And I don't know that there was any agreement or anything like that between the suspects," to attack at or near the same time.

The victims range in age from 14 to 16 years old. The suspects were arrested early Tuesday morning on the college campus. Two of them are 17, the other is 16.

"We all make mistakes and this was a big mistake," said Ellingson. "And young people are probably prone to mistakes more than many people. But there's forgiveness and new possibilities and hopefully everybody will learn from this."

The boys will learn in jail. They were booked Tuesday into King County Juvenile Detention. Each is expected to be charged with at least one count of Rape Second Degree. One of the suspects is expected to be charged with two counts.

The conference, meanwhile, continues at the Issaquah college, where the teens will learn what police allege the suspects did not.

"They learn to be trustworthy by being trusted," added Ellingson. "So, an unfortunate thing happened here and we'll learn from it and go on."

Organizers of the conference tell KOMO 4 News they planned to tell all the rest of the students Tuesday night what happened. The victims are all from out of state and are reportedly leaving the conference as soon as their families arrive to take them home.

The conference, which runs from July 28 through August 1, is billed as a Christian educational event for high school youth -- to teach Christian leadership skills for church, home, and life. It is held on the campus of Trinity Lutheran College and is sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Region 1.

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