Members of Aleitheia Bible Church in Wisconsin Charged With Abusing Infants

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Wisconsin Church Members Charged TOP NEWS VIDEO

With Abusing Infants

Mar 26, 2011 – 2:50 PM

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The pastor and seven members of a small church in central Wisconsin have
been charged with using wooden rods to spank infants as young as 2
months old for "being emotional, grumpy or crying," the Dane County Top News March Madness
Sheriff's office said. Photos

The Aleitheia Bible Church, in the town of Black Earth, was started in 2006
Lisa Holewa
Contributor
with a donation in the range of $500,000-$600,000 from Bob and Lori
Wick of nearby Mazomanie, according to a news release from the sheriff's
office.
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Lori Wick is the author of almost three dozen historical Christian novels with more than five million
books in print, according to her Amazon profile. Reached by AOL News today by telephone at their
home, Bob Wick said they "have no comment" on the case.

Publicists at Lori Wick's publisher, Harvest House Publishers, did not immediately respond to
emails from AOL News today for comment. Space Photos Good News

The investigation into the

Aleitheia Bible Church
began last November,
when former members
contacted authorities with
Far-Out Photos Dumbest Crimes
concerns about how
children were being
More Photos »
treated, according to the
sheriff's office.

Six church members

pleaded innocent to
charges of child abuse Dane County Sheriff's Office

during an appearance
Thursday in Dane County
Circuit Court. They were
booked and released.
Philip Caminiti, left, the pastor of Aleitheia Bible Church in Black Earth, Wis., and his
brother, John Caminiti, 45, have been charged with a dozen counts of child abuse for
allegedly using wooden rods to punish children.

Pastor Philip Caminiti, 53, and his brother, John Caminiti, 45, were charged with a dozen counts of
child abuse last week and also pleaded innocent.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/26/members-of-aleitheia-bible-church-in-wisconsin-charged-with-abus/[3/28/2011 7:35:58 PM]

Members of Aleitheia Bible Church in Wisconsin Charged With Abusing Infants

The victims included 12 children ranging in age from infancy to 6 years old, according to the
sheriff's office.

POPULAR
"During interviews with detectives, Phil expressed his belief that the Bible dictates the use of a rod
over a hand to punish children. He stated that children only a few months old are 'worthy' of the Most Viewed Most Commented

rod and that by 'one and a half months,' a child is old enough to be spanked," according to the 1. Stunning Video Shows Wrath of Japan
sheriff's office release. Tsunami

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"Throughout the investigation, the church members were open with detectives about their 'Spare Rages in Cities

the rod, spoil the child' philosophy. They described using wooden dowels and wooden spoons on the 3. Defiant Gadhafi Vows to 'Beat' Coalition;
bare skin of children, starting as young as 2 months old," the sheriff's office said. Civilians Attacked

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"If you spank early and it is done right, then kids will be happy and obedient," Philip Caminiti said,
according to the criminal complaint. 5. Crash Kills 4 Indiana Teens on Spring Break

6. 40 Lipsticked Virgins: Gadhafi's Best Bet for

According to the sheriff's office, the dowels were described as being 12-18 inches long with a Survival

diameter about the size of a quarter. The parents told detectives that "redness and bruising" were 7. Man Dies Trying to Perform CPR to Save
the "common effects of the spankings." Wife

8. Wisconsin Church Members Charged With

Abusing Infants
"One person described the children being emotional, grumpy or crying as behaviors that would
constitute a spanking with a dowel," according to the sheriff's office. 9. Libyan Rebels Reclaim 2 Oil Centers in
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Three sets of parents are among the six others charged, including two of Philip Caminiti's children 10. Winning Mega Millions Ticket Worth $312M
Sold in NY
and their spouses: Matthew Caminiti, 27, and his wife, Alina, 24; and Maria J. Stephenson, 29, and
her husband, Timothy, 28. Also charged are Andrea L. Wick, 26, and Timothy J. Wick, 27.

The children often were punished when they cried or failed to sit still during church services, a
former church member told authorities. "Phil was very strict about children being quiet during
church," the complaint states.

John Caminiti told investigators in November that he does

not allow his family to communicate with people outside
his religious beliefs and has punished his wife and son by
confining them to their rooms until they corrected their
disobedience, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Attorney Jeffrey W. Nichols, who represents Alina

Caminiti, described his client as a "caring mother who
loves her children," according to the Minneapolis Star
Tribune. MORE TOP NEWS

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"I believe it is important to note that the children have
never been removed from her or her husband's care More radioactive water spills at Japan nuke
despite these allegations and despite some unfair characterizations of her," he said. plant
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All the children of the parents charged are remaining in their homes and the families are working
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with social workers from Dane County Human Services, the sheriff's office said. Ind. Democrats end boycott, return to
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Members of Aleitheia Bible Church in Wisconsin Charged With Abusing Infants

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Members of Aleitheia Bible Church in Wisconsin Charged With Abusing Infants

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Members of Aleitheia Bible Church in Wisconsin Charged With Abusing Infants
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Members of Aleitheia Bible Church in Wisconsin Charged With Abusing Infants

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