Yesterday, Slidell Police arrested and charged 60 YO Pastor John Raymond of Lacombe for one (1) count of Cruelty to a Juvenile, after an additional victim and witnesses came forward following the announcement of Raymond’s first arrest on April 7th.
Last month, Raymond was arrested for three (3) counts of Cruelty to Juveniles, after three students alleged that Raymond, the Pastor/Headmaster of Lakeside Christian Academy, taped the students’ mouths shut by wrapping packing tape around their heads.
After Raymond’s initial arrest, several witnesses (some former teachers, faculty, and parents associated with Lakeside Christian Academy), came forward to report additional incidents of juvenile cruelty, some dating back as far as 2017.
One incident involved a Pre-K student, who would occasionally have “tantrums” where the young 4 YO boy would sit on the ground and kick and scream. Raymond allegedly placed his hand over the boy’s nose and mouth (preventing him from breathing) to the point of him going “limp”. A staff member told Raymond to stop, and then observed the boy “out of it and lethargic”, “unable to stand”, and saw “mucous” come out of the boy’s nose, as he attempted to breath.
In another incident, the same boy was allegedly “dragged by his ankles” across a floor, after he refused to leave with Raymond.
In yet another incident, Raymond allegedly held the boy upside down by his ankles and repeatedly whipped him.
After reviewing all the facts of the new allegations, detectives presented their findings in a warrant, which was signed by a 22nd judicial district judge.
Raymond was booked into the Slidell City Jail, then transported to the St. Tammany Parish Jail where a bond will be set.
The investigation involving Raymond is still on-going, as detectives are interviewing additional witnesses linked to other allegations against Raymond.
