New
Bethany Home for Girls in Arcadia, LA was a Troubed
Teen Home established by Mack Ford in 1970 that, after many raids
and investigations, finally closed it's doors in 2001. Like the other
homes of this type, it followed the Independend Fundamental Baptist's
template for Troubled Teen Homes established by Lester Roloff.
Former residents attest to subjection to the typically hard and
terribly degrading treatment described at similar teen homes and were
molested and raped by the proprietor. Students also attest to
the cessation of their menstruation while in residence there which
resumed when they left.
In 2013 and 2014, four former residents who attended there over a thirty year period made police reports regarding the sexual abuse to which Mack Ford subjected them while they were in residence at New Bethany. A grand jury in Bienville Parish convened to hear relevant testimony in October and December of 2014, but the District Attorney announced in January of 2015 that they had declined to indict. Mack Ford died in February at the age of 82. The Times-Picayune newspaper featured many articles chronicling the events and appear below.
In 2013 and 2014, four former residents who attended there over a thirty year period made police reports regarding the sexual abuse to which Mack Ford subjected them while they were in residence at New Bethany. A grand jury in Bienville Parish convened to hear relevant testimony in October and December of 2014, but the District Attorney announced in January of 2015 that they had declined to indict. Mack Ford died in February at the age of 82. The Times-Picayune newspaper featured many articles chronicling the events and appear below.
Times-Picayune/NOLA.com
- Timeline through until the DA's decision to decline indictment.
- Diagram of the compound
- Four Part New Bethany Journey (click on tabs at the top of the webpage to view photos and many videos of testimony of the women who participated in the grand jury. It also includes a short but moving interview with a Sheriff in Bienville Parish who responded to an 18 year old runaway from the home.)
- Photos of the history of New Bethany
- Thirty Years of Controversy
- Couple Remembers a Runaway (32 yrs later)
