Church member sentenced

Case involved restraining kids with belts, cords

The Associated Press/February 6, 2004

Kansas City, Kansas -- A member of a storefront church has been sentenced to two years of probation for her role in gagging the church leader's children and restraining them with extension cords and belts as punishment. One of the children, 9-year-old Brian Edgar, died when he was bound like a mummy in duct tape, prosecutors said. His parents and a baby sitter were convicted of murder.

Wyandotte County District Judge Thomas L. Boeding granted Barbara Clark, of Kansas City, Kan., probation Friday after handing her two concurrent one-year sentences.

Clark was one of five members of God's Creation Outreach Ministry in Kansas City, Kan., who pleaded no contest last year to reduced charges of attempted child abuse. The other women already were sentenced to probation.

The five women initially were charged with child abuse. Abuse charges are pending in Wyandotte County against Brian's mother, Christy Edgar, and baby sitter Chasity Boyd.

Prosecutors said the seven women disciplined children for disrespecting adults and not paying attention at church by hog-tying them and leaving them in that position overnight.

Extension cords, belts and black plastic ties were used to bind the children and tape was placed over their mouths.

Edgar and Boyd, along with Brian's father, Neil Edgar, were convicted in September in Johnson County of first-degree felony murder in the death of Brian, as well as of abusing two other children in the Edgar family. All three have been sentenced to life in prison.

Neil Edgar wasn't charged in the child abuse case in Wyandotte County.