Christopher Fourcade (Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and KFOR screenshot)
A 45-year-old children’s church leader and foster parent in Oklahoma was arrested last week on a spate of felonies for allegedly molesting and secretly recording several children placed in his care. Christopher Fourcade, who until recently served as the Director of Children Ministries at the First Christian Church in Norman, Oklahoma, is facing four counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child and two counts of producing/possessing juvenile pornography, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
“Our priority in this case are the victims’ safety,” Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn said in a press release following the arrest. “My office will seek justice for them. The crimes alleged against Mr. Fourcade are extremely serious and will not be tolerated here.”
The investigation into Fourcade began late last year when the mother of a child he was fostering contacted authorities and reported that Fourcade had molested her young daughter. The girl had called and texted her mother on Dec. 28, saying that she did not feel safe with Fourcade because he had “put his hands down her underwear and touched her,” a probable cause affidavit obtained by Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR-TV reportedly stated.
According to a press release from the Norman County Police Department, officers responded to Fourcade’s home located in the 300 block of Glade Court in reference to the mother’s report regarding “the molesting of a child under the age of 12.”
“The reporting party informed officers of a recent incident where a caregiver facilitated lewd acts on a child,” the release states. “An investigation was immediately initiated. During the course of the investigation, additional juvenile victims were identified. Based on information gained through forensic interviews and the overall investigation, Norman police obtained an arrest warrant for the caregiver Thursday [May 25].”
In an interview with investigators, the victim stated that she had gone into Fourcade’s bedroom to ask for his help fixing a toy, KFOR reported. Fourcade allegedly told the girl he couldn’t fix the toy, but said she could “lie in his bed with him and watch TV.” The victim reportedly fell asleep and later awoke to Fourcade molesting her.
When Fourcade fell asleep, the victim immediately called her mother who then phoned the police as well as the Department of Human Services sexual abuse hotline, KFOR reported. The officers who responded to Fourcade’s home reportedly discovered several cameras hidden throughout his home. While Fourcade claimed the devices were for home security, investigators say they learned that the cameras did not record during the evening.
A search of Fourcade’s phone reportedly revealed numerous photographs and videos of the victim and other pre-teen girls whom Fourcade had fostered in their underwear and nude.
One of the other girls Fourcade had photographed nude allegedly told investigators that Fourcade had a strategy for getting the foster children to sleep in bed with him.
“[Fourcade] told them there were demons in his house, but not in his room in an apparent attempt to scare them into sleeping with him,” the affidavit reportedly states.
That child also said that Fourcade told the victims to “keep it a secret so they could continue sleeping in his bed.”
Rev. David Spain of the First Christian Church of Norman posted the following statement to social media:
“The church is aware of the arrest of Chris Fourcade. He is no longer employed by the church. While the investigation and arrest does not focus on any children from the church, our staff is fully committed to the truth, and is fully cooperating with any requests regarding the investigation. It is the church’s practice to never have adults alone with children, and we remain vigilant in that practice.”
Fourcade is charged with four counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16 and two counts of possession of child pornography. Fourcade was released after posting $100,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled and there is no attorney listed, according to the online records.
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