In 2009, former director of Kanakuk's elementary school summer camp called K-Kountry, Peter "Pete" Newman was arrested on multiple felony charges for sexual abuse against children. At the time, there were 57 known victims, but today many more survivors and their families are speaking out against the camp for its alleged complicity in abuse committed by Pete and other perpetrators. In this podcast, we'll walk through the story through the eyes of survivors, their families and other professionals who know about abuse.

*Our interview with Elizabeth Carlock Phillips was recorded on June 3, 2025. Information and allegations discussed in this episode and episode 4, both featuring Phillips, is solely based on tips submitted to the Facts About Kanakuk website. They are not the opinion of BNG.

*Content warning: Sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, self-harm and suicide

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THE NON-DISCLOSURE SERIES

In the Ozarks of Missouri at Kamp Kanakuk, numerous children endured sexual abuse at the hands of camp director and serial predator Peter “Pete” Newman. After his confession in 2009, many were placed under restrictive Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), barring them from telling their stories. But after learning Kamp leadership may have let the abuse slide, some are ready to break their NDAs and tell all.

In this limited series podcast from Baptist News Global, host Mallory Challis examines this story of systematic sexual abuse in interviews with survivors and their families. Views expressed by those in interviews with BNG are solely their own.

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