Pawleys Island Community Church Pastor’s Wife Rearrested As Church Faces 4th Lawsuit

Ginny Williams, former church leader and pastor’s wife at Pawleys Island Community Church (PICC) in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, was arrested for a second time this week on Friday, July 24, and charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk. PICC and its affiliated school, Pawleys Island Christian Academy (PICA), are in turmoil after it came to light that leaders knowingly concealed the sex offender status of a church volunteer. A fourth lawsuit was filed against the church this week in connection with the controversy. “Sheriff Carter Weaver announces that Ginny Williams has been charged with Unlawfully Placing a Child at Risk or Causing a Child Harm in the ongoing investigation of the Pawleys Island Community Church,” said an announcement from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) Friday. “This new charge at this date was the result of investigative findings which had not been verified last week but now are confirmed through multiple witness statements.” “In order for this charge to be levied, a person has to be in a supervisory role, be responsible for a child’s welfare, and to engage in acts or omissions that present a substantial risk that a sexual offense will be committed against a child,” said the GCSO. “Ginny Williams has been found to not only hold a supervisory role at the Pawleys Island Community Church, but to also hold such a role over the operations of the Pawleys Island Christian Academy.” Pawleys Island Community Church Faces 4th Lawsuit The fallout continues for Pawleys Island Community Church after it came to light that a convicted sex offender was volunteering as a custodian on the church, which shares a campus with the school, with the knowledge of now-former Pastor Don Williams and other church and school leaders. The GCSO arrested church custodian Warren Perry on July 14 after concerned citizens alerted authorities that the church where Perry volunteered was also a school campus. The newest lawsuit identifies one of the people who reported Perry to law enforcement as a PICA teacher. Don Williams led a contentious congregational meeting on July 15, and on July 17, he, Ginny Williams, PICA Director Niki Howard, and several church elders resigned. That same day, a class action lawsuit seeking more than $25 million dollars was filed against PICC. On Monday, July 20, Weaver held a press conference where he announced that the GCSO was actively investigating PICC. The sheriff also announced charges against the Williamses, Howard, and Perry, who were arrested that day. Don Williams and Howard were charged with obstruction of justice, unlawfully placing a child at risk, and criminal conspiracy. Ginny Williams and Perry were charged with obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy. Perry was denied bond. A judge set bond for the other three, and they bonded out. However, Ginny Williams was rearrested July 24, and a judge set a bond of $25,000 for her at a hearing Friday afternoon, reported WMBF News. She was later released on bond. Former Pawleys Island Community Church leader Ginny Williams was arrested for a second time this week as the church faces a fourth lawsuit.Click to Post