In a Tuesday afternoon hearing, Judge Thomas Pyle set a preliminary hearing and ordered that the Department of Social Services Children’s Division workers have 24-hour access to Agape Boarding School’s campus to observe the students there.
The preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 13 and 14. Pyle was assigned to the case after the Attorney General’s office requested a new judge. Cedar County Circuit Court Judge David Munton had initially been assigned.
Previous reporting
The Missouri Attorney General’s office filed a new petition Monday, requesting that Agape Boarding School be shut down and its students removed to safety. The new petition comes after the AG office expressed intention to dismiss the Sept. 7 petitions.
In a phone conference Monday morning, Cedar County Circuit Court Judge David Munton dissolved the order that allowed Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division workers to remain at Agape Boarding School.
The attorney representing Agape Boarding School confirmed via email that there are no state workers at the school as of 12:51 pm
“The Attorney General’s Office fought hard to continue the 24/7 monitoring by DSS workers, but the Court denied the Office’s arguments and dissolved the order allowing that access. The Office has asked the Court under the new case that was just filed to reinstate DSS access to ensure that the students at Agape are safe,” said the Attorney General’s Office on Twitter.
In the same statement on Twitter, the office said it filed the second petition because it was “unable to present new evidence under the Second Amended Petition.” In addition to the second petition, the office filed an application for a change of judge.
“Agape Boarding School has a great lawyer and they have fought tooth and nail but in the end justice will prevail,” said former student and advocate Robert