Leona Kimes, a Hillsong staffer and former nanny for Carl Lentz and his family, has come forward with allegations that she was emotionally and sexually abused by the former pastor.
In an essay Kimes published on Medium on Monday titled “Writing My Voice Back,” she says, “I was subjected to manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse.”
She did not identify her abuser by name in the piece but confirmed it was Lentz in a statement to Religion News Service.
“I felt trapped and silenced. I also felt so ashamed and I had been told not to say anything or tell anyone,” she told RNS.
From RNR, a legal representative for the Lentzes said the couple “vehemently deny the allegations and, in addition to that, have irrefutable proof the events did not happen as they are being described.”
In Kimes’ piece, she says she and her husband Josh moved 10 years ago from Australia to the U.S. to help build Hillsong NYC, which according to People, Lentz reportedly launched with Joel Houston, the son of Hillsong founder Brian Houston.
Kimes was hired as the nanny for the lead pastors where she says, “Boundaries between personal and professional blurred early on, and an unhealthy bond and attachment was formed.”
“Then the physical encounters escalated,” she wrote, and Lentz allegedly began sexually touching her. “While he never had intercourse with me and never kissed me, I was physically violated by his unwanted and repeated sexual touching of my intimate areas. I froze. Every time, I froze.”
She was fired from her nanny role in the summer of 2017 because the Lentzes were allegedly worried about Carl’s reputation.
Lentz was fired from Hillsong in November for “moral failures.”
“Even though I can’t forget it, I believe I can use it to become stronger,” she wrote. “Through intense therapy, I now recognize that it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t fail. Church didn’t fail me. God didn’t fail me. Man did... I’m breaking my silence and starting an important conversation.”
Hillsong’s website issued a statement stating, “We commend her for her courage and have assured her of our utmost compassion in their journey forward.”
“As a church, we are committed to learning more about how to identify such trauma and bring meaningful support to anyone who has experienced it.”
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