Possible additional victims sought
On Monday (Feb. 17), patrol deputies with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to a complaint from a mother about potential child abuse. The mother and her child attend a church operated out of a private residence in the Hazel Dell area. The church is called the “Army of the Lord — Ministry of Defense.”
The mother reported that she had asked a friend to take her 6-year-old child to services on Feb. 16 since she could not attend. The mother asked her friend if she would talk to the minister, Gabriel Hardy, age 42, of Vancouver, about having a conversation with the 6-year-old child about recent disrespectful behavior.
The child returned home after the service with bruising and welts across their lower back, hips, and buttocks. The child told the mother that Hardy had whipped them with a belt approximately 12 times.
CCSO patrol responded and asked for assistance with the investigation from the Special Victims Unit (SVU). SVU investigated this case and learned from witnesses that Hardy openly preached about corporal punishment of young children and professed that he was divinely ordained to chastise children. Hardy admitted to the child’s mother that he had whipped the child with a belt to discipline the child.
On Thursday (Feb. 20), SVU served a search warrant at the residence with the assistance of the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) and the Tactical Detective Unit (TDU). Hardy was not present at the time of the search warrant, but evidence of the crime of Assault of a Child was located inside the residence and seized pursuant to the search warrant. Hardy was contacted by detectives later in the day and admitted he struck the child in this case with a belt.
Hardy was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Clark County Jail for Assault of a Child in the third degree.
The Special Victims Unit believes that Hardy may have similarly assaulted other children in Clark County. Anyone with information related to this investigation is requested to contact the Clark County Sheriff’s Office by calling 3-1-1 or emailing detectives at cjcdetective@clark.wa.gov.
Information provided by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Also read:
- State high school basketball: Five local teams to play in quarterfinal games Thursday, March 5
Five Clark County basketball teams advanced to state quarterfinal games after Columbia River, Columbia Adventist, Evergreen, and Seton Catholic won Wednesday and Union had already secured its spot. - Opinion: Neighbors for a Better Crossing urges Oregon Legislators to demand full audit of IBR project, echoing Washington’s HB 2669
Gary Clark of Neighbors for a Better Crossing urges Oregon lawmakers to pursue an audit of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project similar to Washington’s HB 2669 proposal. - Opinion: ‘Privacy’ is not a license for government secrecy – Supreme Court’s Mirabelli Ruling puts Washington’s school parental notification policies on notice
Vicki Murray argues a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on parental notification policies could affect Washington’s approach to student gender identity nondisclosure in schools. - WA Senate narrowly advances bill to reduce education spending by $176M through 2031
The Washington Senate passed a bill by a 25-24 vote that would reduce and delay some education funding to help address the state’s budget shortfall. - Opinion: Climate Commitment Act – Washington’s hidden carbon tax hits hard
Opinion, columns, Washington state, Climate Commitment Act, CCA Washington, Washington carbon tax debate, Washington gas prices, Nancy Churchill, Dangerous Rhetoric, Washington climate policy, Washington fuel costs, Travis Couture, Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Commerce, Washington carbon credit auctions, Washington cap and trade program, Washington environmental policy - Legislation from Rep. David Stuebe to strengthen Medicaid support for emergency ambulance services moves closer to becoming law
A bill from Rep. David Stuebe updating Medicaid reimbursement for emergency ambulance services passed the Senate and now heads to the governor’s desk. - Coffee Caturday is this Saturday in Battle Ground sounds purrrrrfect
Coffee Caturday on March 7 will bring pet-themed vendors, coffee, and donation opportunities to the Battle Ground Senior Center.
