Worship Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse Commits Suicide

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On February 16th, 2026, David A. Rodgers, former worship pastor at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky, was arrested for charges related to an alleged relationship with a minor. After numerous reports of sexual encounters, Rodgers was removed from the position and sent to court. Though the investigation began in early January, the allegations dated back to nearly a decade.

Since the arrest, however, the 40-year-old was found dead on Thursday, February 19th, 2026, near his residence in Utica. According to Kentucky Today, the death was confirmed as an apparent suicide around 9:45 a.m. that morning.

In the investigation of the report, Rodgers had been engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor through a “bond of special trust”. With charges of third-degree rape, second-degree sodomy involving a position of authority, and first-degree sexual abuse, Rodgers had access to these young adults because of his role at the church (Owensboro Times).

After being taken into custody and confessing to the listed offenses, neither the Church nor the public predicted a suicide would take place 3 days later. Despite a family member posting the $75,000 cash bond, perhaps Rodgers saw no other way out.

While the investigation into Rodgers’ death officially continues, Davis County jailer, Art Maglinger, explained that upon Rodgers’ suicide screening and intake procedures, “there was no information presented by outside law enforcement or to our staff that Mr. Rodgers was suicidal. However, the jail partners with jail triage services, where he was deemed at high risk due to the nature of the charges, and he was placed on suicide watch in this case.”

Though Rodgers wore a padded suicide-prevention smock in his mugshot, Maglinger calls post-arrest suicides like this devastating. “You don’t really quite see it where it ends like this. It does happen. This isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last time, but it isn’t very frequent that you see someone who has just been charged in a case, and then ultimately they take their life. I really feel sorry for everyone involved, including the family and all families that are tied into this.”

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Former Worship Pastor Accused of Sexual Assault Charges

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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.