Andrew Summersett of Colorado sued Branson’s Kanakuk Christian sports camp on June 24, alleging fraud and civil conspiracy. Several defendants were named in Summersett’s lawsuit. They include camp owner Joe White and his former son-in-law Andrew Braner, a former camp official now living on the East Coast.
Summersett says he attended Kanakuk from ages 7 to 18 and was sexually abused by Peter Newman, a former Kanakuk counselor. The abuse allegedly began in 2001 at Summersett’s own home in Texas. Summersett also alleges that Newman sexually abused him again the following year, this time at Kanakuk in the Branson area.
Since 2010, Newman has been serving two life sentences in Missouri prison, plus 30 years, on eight felonies including statutory sodomy and other crimes committed while working for Kanakuk.
Summersett’s lawsuit argues Kanakuk officials committed fraud because they didn’t tell Summersett or his family about Newman’s sexually abusing underage boys.
The petition outlines longstanding allegations and court records indicating that Kanakuk officials received complaints about Newman as early as 1999, two years before Summersett says he was sexually abused by Newman.
When Summersett attempted to report alleged misconduct to Kanakuk leadership around the time Newman’s criminal prosecution began making headlines, a Kanakuk official at that time — Andrew Braner — reportedly told Summersett that he should “back-off given the circumstances” rather than “make a mess of things." That’s according to court papers filed by Summersett’s attorneys.
Reached by Ozarks Public Radio on Monday, Kanakuk's marketing department said in a written statement that their policy “is not to comment on pending litigation” and that they “pray for all who have been affected by Pete Newman’s behavior.”
KSMU was not immediately successful reaching Braner with messages sent over email and social media, and by phone to a Virginia company where he formerly worked.
Summersett’s lawsuit seeks a jury trial in Taney County courts. For each count of fraud and civil conspiracy, the plaintiff is seeking more than $25,000 in damages.
