Allen, Parishioners Still Missing

11Alive.com/May 13, 2003
By Kevin Rowson

Reverend Arthur Allen, the pastor of the House of Prayer, made headlines after being accused of cruelty to children for punishing children in church. He and two other church members were convicted, but failed to show up for a probation hearing in March.

They have now been missing for two months. If anyone has heard from Allen, they are not telling the proper authorities. Meanwhile, Allen has not made contact with his state probation officer.

"You must be in touch with your probation officer. If you have a fine you must pay your fine. At this point we haven't heard anything from him," said Sheree Lipscomb of the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Allen and parishioners David and Sharon Duncan failed to show up for an appearance in Fulton County Superior Court on March 7. They were answer to charges they violated terms of their probation.

They were on probation after being convicted last October of cruelty to children for whipping two boys at the church.

Allen is still bannered as pastor on a sign outside the church on Hollywood Road. The church still seems to be operating, but no one at the church would talk to 11Alive News.

The search has lead authorities to Alabama where the reverend owns property.

"There were some connections, that we tried to make some connections with the people in Alabama, but we were unable to find him at that point," Lipscomb said.

A number of agencies have been involved in the search for Allen and the Duncans, including the Fulton County Sheriff's Department, the State Department of Corrections and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Metro Fugitive Squad.