Donn Ketcham, an 85-year-old resident of Wyoming, Michigan in Ottawa County, has been accused of sexually assaulting a young girl in 1998. The alleged victim, who was 5-years-old at the time, is said to have come forward in 2011, many years after the assault, but then changed her mind about wanting to pursue the charges.
However, when Target 8 news did a special investigation into Ketcham’s past, It revealed many sexual abuse allegations he is facing from the time he served as a missionary surgeon in Bangladesh. Thus, the young woman’s story was raised by law enforcement. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office reached out to her and asked if she would be willing to pursue a case against Ketcham. The young woman decided again that it was time to speak up. Only this time, she followed through.
An investigation was opened into the case, and law enforcement determined that the assault had taken place in Allendale, MI during a medical exam. Ketcham was working as a doctor and during a medical examination he allegedly sexually abused her. According to the young woman, who is now 23-years-old, the assault lasted approximately 15 seconds. She also said that her mother was in the room at the time, but the doctor blocked her view of what was happening.
As a result, the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office filed a charge of First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct against Ketcham. After being alerted about the charge, Ketcham turned himself in at the Hudsonville District Court in Ottawa County. There, he was arraigned and released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. In the event that Ketcham is convicted, he is facing up to life in prison.
This isn’t the only allegation of abuse hounding Ketcham, however.
With regards to the older allegations, Ketcham served as a surgeon with the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) from 1961 to 1989 in India. There, according to numerous media sources, Ketcham is accused of having affairs with other female missionaries and also sexually assaulting a total of four women and eighteen girls. Many of the assaults, it is said, took place under the guise of medical care, as unnecessary pelvic exams and extensive breast development examinations.
In the wake of the investigation, ABWE released a statement in which they addressed what had allegedly happened and what they intended to do in order to ensure that it never happened again. Apparently, the reason charges were never pursued was because the assaults had taken place a long time ago, in another country. At the time, many religious organizations dealt with allegations of immoral conduct in-house, and without ever reporting the incidents to the authorities.
In a statement released to the public with the contents of the report, Al Cockrell, interim president of ABWE said the following,”There is no amount of remorse, regret, or shame that can make up for the suffering and pain we caused. We are offering to meet with the victims in person to express our deepest apology, to pay for counseling for them, and to ensure them we have implemented measures to prevent such deplorable behavior again.”
Sexual assault allegations are very frightening. They can do irreparable damage to one’s reputation and standing in the community, as well as damage relationships with friends and family. If you have been accused of a sex crime, you are going to need a skilled and experienced attorney on your side. Call the Kronzek Firm today, at 866 766 5245. We have decades of experience helping clients accused of sexual assault and other sex crimes in Michigan.