WEBSTER COUNTY, Mo. — A pastor from Webster County who was charged in July with abusing victims through manual labor for his Christian-based recovery and ministry program now faces additional abuse charges.
Late last month, Tilden was charged with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in serious emotional or physical injury and no sexual contact, a felony.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Founder of Christian-based recovery house in Webster County faces six felonies of abuse through forced labor
Tilden is accused of abusing a juvenile female and allowing her to be sexually assaulted by men connected to his church, Divine Compassion Ministries, and the Compassion House, a sober living program, both based in Niangua.
The statement says the abuse from the new charges spanned from 2023 into July 2025 and took place at multiple addresses in Niangua. Law enforcement began investigating after two people reported to the Webster County Sheriff’s Office that a juvenile had been sexually assaulted at Tilden’s church in 2023. They said Tilden did nothing after she disclosed the abuse to him.
In early July of this year, the victim was interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center in Springfield. She told a forensic interviewer that Tilden was physically and emotionally abusive, hitting her with a paddle, locking her and other children outside without food or water, and yelling at them.
The girl also said Tilden dismissed her when she reported that two men from the church’s recovery program touched her and another juvenile female inappropriately.
When questioned by law enforcement, Tilden denied that the girls told him about the abuse, but he acknowledged past allegations reported to child welfare officials.
According to previous Ozarks First coverage, Tilden was charged with six counts of abuse through forced labor in early July. He’s alleged to have made at least six victims perform labor on numerous occasions.
He’s due for a bond hearing on Oct.21 in Webster County Circuit Court.
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