Austin deacon allegedly groped, masturbated in front of cancer-stricken churchgoer

River Road Baptist Church in Austin, Texas River Road Baptist Church in Austin, Texas Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close Austin deacon allegedly groped, masturbated in front of cancer-stricken churchgoer 1 / 38 Back to Gallery

A former deacon at an Austin church has been accused of groping and exposing himself to a disabled church member with cancer.

Travis County District Court documents allege Phillip Larry Shumaker, who previously worked at the River Road Baptist Church, masturbated and inappropriately touched a woman with stage-4 ovarian cancer in late 2013 and early 2014, according to KXAN-TV.

The alleged victim was too weak and ill to care for herself without help from church members and did not initially report the incidents because she did not know they were criminal offenses.

“She did not want there to be any trouble for the church, and [she] thought Shumaker would stop,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

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The church’s pastor, Dr. Jay Miller, told the Austin TV station that he removed Shumaker from any and all positions at the church and said they are cooperating with the criminal investigation in any way they can.

The court documents state Shumaker visited the woman’s home to deliver food after Thanksgiving in 2013. At that time, he allegedly groped the woman under her shirt, masturbated in front of her and got semen on her T-shirt. He returned several times to touch the victim and attempt to pleasure himself in front of her.

Shumaker will make an appearance in court relating to two class-B misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure on April 7. The woman is seeking at least $500,000 for actual damages including mental anguish, as well as at least $1 million in punitive damages, according to KXAN.

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Twitter: @tylerlwhite