Private Christian school teacher charged in alleged abuse of 11-year-old

An arrest warrant has been issued for a former Christian school teacher and a previous megachurch employee by the Albuquerque Police Department for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old student.

Kelly McEachran, 66, is charged with criminal sexual penetration and criminal sexual contact of a minor. The minor is a fifth grader, and the alleged abuse occurred on multiple occasions over the past school year while McEachran was working as the girl’s teacher at Hope Christian Elementary.

Over a decade ago, McEachran worked in an administrative role at Legacy Church and “was not directly overseeing children on a day-to-day basis,” according to Nicole Westbrook, attorney for the multi-campus mega church.

Westbrook said she could not discuss the reasons for McEachran’s departure from the church because it was a human resources matter and could pose a liability. In a video from 2016 posted to the church’s Facebook, McEachran is referred to as “Pastor Kelly.” By Tuesday evening, the post had been removed.

McEachran did not respond to multiple requests for comment Tuesday; he has yet to be arrested, according to APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos.

An officer was first dispatched to a report of child abuse on April 7, according to the arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed on May 23 in McEachran’s classroom, corroborating details of the story shared by the girl, identified by initials in court records.

The girl told investigators that when she had questions for McEachran, he would invite her to sit in a chair near his desk and touch her inappropriately. The affidavit states that McEachran was placed on leave after the allegations were reported to the school. Representatives for Hope Christian could not be reached Tuesday.

Family members of the victim filed a petition for protection and eventually received an order for protection from McEachran on June 10. The alleged abuse went on for five to six months, according to the petition.