ANOTHER GIRL COMES FORWARD: FORMER ARC STUDENT ACCUSES PASTOR STEVE CASSELL OF INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING

September 11, 2026 | Freeport, IL

Presented by Alex Mercer

Holy Kisses Investigation | F4F NEWS

Karmon Parsley says she told her mother about Cassell's alleged behavior, her mother took those concerns to adults at the school, and police later spoke with her — but she says she was never contacted again to make her own formal police report.

Another young woman has come forward as part of Fighting4Freeport's ongoing Holy Kisses investigation into allegations surrounding Pastor Steve Cassell, Beloved Church in Lena, and the Academy of Readiness and Character in Stockton.

Karmon Parsley attended ARC during the 2024–2025 school year for her junior year. Following the tragic loss of one of her siblings, her family believed the smaller school environment could provide a much-needed change.

What she says happened there has now become another part of the Holy Kisses investigation.

Parsley alleges Cassell repeatedly touched her breasts while hugging her during his visits to the school. She eventually disclosed the alleged behavior to her mother, who she says brought those concerns to teachers at ARC and was assured the situation would be addressed.

According to Parsley's account, it wasn't. She alleges Cassell's behavior continued.

A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT AT ARC

ARC was noticeably different from the public school environment Parsley had previously known. She remembers a very small student population consisting primarily of girls and recalls only two male students attending during her time there. Neither, she says, remained at the school for long.

She also recalls the educational environment being heavily centered around the Bible rather than the traditional textbooks and curriculum she had experienced in public school. The teachers she remembers were women, and physical affection — particularly hugs — was a regular part of the school's daily environment.

Mitchell Faith, who held a leadership role at ARC, was among those who greeted students with hugs. Parsley specifically does not accuse Faith of behaving inappropriately toward her. She remembers his hugs as side hugs, typically with an arm around her shoulder, and describes them as what she considered an appropriate interaction between an adult and a child.

That distinction is significant because her allegations involving Cassell center on conduct she describes as markedly different.

CASSELL'S VISITS TO ARC

Cassell typically visited the Stockton school on Wednesdays and Fridays, according to Parsley's recollection. During those visits, she says hugs from the female students were expected.

Rather than the side hugs she had experienced with Faith, Cassell allegedly hugged the girls face-to-face. Parsley alleges that during her own encounters with Cassell, he grabbed her breasts while hugging her.

She does not believe the contact was accidental.

According to her account, Cassell would press her developing breasts together during the hugs in a manner that created the appearance of cleavage. As the encounters continued, she became increasingly uncomfortable around him and began trying to avoid the hugs.

Avoidance allegedly brought its own consequences. She recalls remarks, guilt and scolding when she resisted or attempted to avoid those interactions.

Other female students were also talking about Cassell's behavior, according to Parsley. She remembers conversations with girls who described similar experiences and says those discussions eventually created something resembling an informal support group among them. They were young women trying to understand and navigate conduct they believed was inappropriate.

ARC, BELOVED CHURCH AND A GROWING CIRCLE OF GIRLS

Some ARC students also began attending Beloved Church in Lena, where Parsley remembers meeting Mary Neiger, whose experiences have previously been documented as part of Fighting4Freeport's Holy Kisses investigation.

Trust did not come immediately.

The girls were cautious about whom they spoke with because, according to Parsley's account, they did not know who understood their concerns about Cassell and who might defend him. That uncertainty initially extended to Mary.

The distance began disappearing when they learned Mary was describing similar concerns involving Cassell. What had initially made the girls hesitant to trust one another instead became common ground.

For Parsley, however, talking with other girls did not solve what she says was happening during Cassell's visits to ARC. Eventually, the situation became too much to handle without involving an adult.

CONCERNS ARE TAKEN TO THE SCHOOL

Parsley disclosed the alleged behavior to her mother, who then approached teachers at ARC about her daughter's concerns. According to Parsley's account, her mother was assured the situation would be handled. Despite that assurance, the alleged behavior continued.

Her mother then began communicating with other parents, including Laura Andrews, another name already familiar to readers following the Holy Kisses investigation.

Earlier this year, Cassell filed a civil defamation lawsuit against Andrews following a dispute connected to allegations involving Cassell and Andrews' daughters. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed with prejudice before a court made any determination regarding the truth or falsity of the underlying allegations.

The Andrews family's involvement with law enforcement gave Parsley and her mother hope that the concerns surrounding Cassell would finally be addressed. For Parsley, however, questions remained about what would happen with her own allegations.

CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT

Law enforcement eventually spoke with Parsley, but she remembers the conversation focusing primarily on other girls and general information surrounding the situation.

She says she was told investigators would contact her again so she could make a formal police report concerning what she alleges happened directly to her.

That follow-up, she says, never came.

At the time, Parsley did not understand that she could independently approach law enforcement and make her own report. She now says she intends to do exactly that.

Fighting4Freeport has not independently established why the follow-up she describes did not occur. Her account does, however, create another avenue of inquiry into how information involving the girls at ARC was collected and handled. And more importantly establishes and highlights a continued pattern when it comes to law enforcement overall response and attitude to very serious allegations against the well connected Steve Cassell.

Among the questions are what information investigators received during their conversation with Parsley, what was documented from that contact, and whether investigators understood that she was describing herself not merely as someone with information about other girls, but as another person alleging inappropriate physical contact by Cassell.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER ADULTS WERE TOLD?

The significance of Parsley's account extends beyond the allegations involving the hugs themselves. Her description provides a potential timeline of disclosure. Female students were allegedly discussing Cassell's behavior among themselves. Parsley eventually disclosed her own experience to her mother. Her mother brought those concerns to teachers at ARC and, according to the account provided to Fighting4Freeport, was assured the situation would be addressed.

The alleged behavior nevertheless continued.

Her mother then communicated with other parents. Law enforcement eventually spoke with Parsley. Yet she says the anticipated follow-up that would have allowed her to formally report what allegedly happened to her never occurred.

That sequence raises questions Fighting4Freeport intends to pursue.

What exactly was reported to ARC staff? Which employees received those concerns? What actions were taken after the school was notified? What information did law enforcement obtain when speaking with Parsley? What records exist documenting that contact? And why, if she was told investigators would follow up regarding her own report, does she say that follow-up never happened?

At this point, Fighting4Freeport does not have the answers to those questions.

Finding them is now part of the investigation.

ANOTHER FIRSTHAND ALLEGATION

Fighting4Freeport has spent weeks investigating allegations surrounding Steve Cassell, Beloved Church and the Academy of Readiness and Character. That work has included obtaining public records, interviewing families and alleged victims, communicating with attorneys and following the criminal investigative process.

That reporting has included developments regardless of whether they supported those making allegations against Cassell. Fighting4Freeport previously reported that prosecutors declined to authorize sex-crime charges based upon the evidence presented to them at that time.

Parsley's account does not establish Cassell's guilt, nor does the information currently available establish that ARC personnel or law enforcement acted improperly. Her allegations remain allegations, and unanswered questions should not be presented as conclusions.

What her decision to come forward provides is another firsthand allegation from a former ARC student — along with another account suggesting concerns about Cassell's behavior may have reached adults while students were still trying to navigate the situation.

Parsley says she is now prepared to formally report her allegations to law enforcement.

Fighting4Freeport will continue investigating what she says happened at ARC, what occurred after her mother raised concerns, what was documented when police later spoke with her, and what happens now that another young woman has decided to put her name behind her allegations.

Fighting4Freeport continues investigating allegations surrounding Pastor Steve Cassell, Beloved Church and the Academy of Readiness and Character as part of our ongoing Holy Kisses investigation. Allegations contained in this report are attributed to the individuals making them and should not be interpreted as findings of criminal guilt.

Investigative Reporting, Editing & Publication

Joshua T. Atkinson

Chairman | Fighting4Freeport