Daniel Rabideau said he was shocked when his son, 19-year-old Nathanial Rabideau, came to him and admitted he and another teen spray-painted satanic symbols all over Seed Planters Church in McDonough.
“That’s not something that was on my radar to be worried about,” he told Channel 2 Action News. “He’s been baptized. He’s been in church, never been satanic and never shown any anarchism view.”
As a Christian, Danial Rabideau said he knew exactly what he had to do. Before Nathanial Rabideau surrendered to police, the father and son went to Seed Planters and apologized to Pastor Daunta Long.
Nathanial Rabideau “said to me in a very soft voice this was a joke that went wrong,” Long told Channel 2. “He thought the building was abandoned and that he certainly meant no harm.”
Long had just bought the building east of Ga. 81 two months ago, the news station reported. The church has not had its first service.
“I forgive you,” Long told Channel 2 he said to the teen, “but I want you to be able to forgive yourself.”
Nathanial Rabideau of McDonough was arrested on multiple charges, including burglary, criminal damage to property and vandalism to a place of worship, Capt. Joey Smith said.
Tyler A. Casey, 19, of Monroe, faces similar charges.
Both were booked into the Henry County jail.
During a hearing Monday, a judge granted both teens $15,000 bonds. However, they were still in the jail Tuesday morning, an official said.
“I’m debating whether I should bail (Nathanial) out or sweat it out because he needs to learn that lesson,” Danial Rabideau said. “I’m his father. I love him. I don’t want him to sit in jail, but I don’t want him doing something worse later in life.”
Credit: Henry County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Henry County Sheriff's Office
Nathanial Rabideau’s next court appearance is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 1, Channel 2 reported. It’s unclear when Casey is expected to appear in court.
“I hope this is a wake-up call,” Danial Rabideau said. “He needs to come back and be an upstanding member of the community.”
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