A South Carolina pastor and his wife have been charged with abusing a foster child, starting when the child was 15 and continuing with multiple physical and sexual assaults.

Rodney Gibson and Kawiana Young, both 50, face a variety of charges in connection with the alleged abuse of the minor in their custody in Columbia, South Carolina, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and reports by local news outlets.

Gibson is also charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, unlawful conduct toward a minor, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Authorities charged Young with unlawful conduct toward a minor.

Columbia’s metropolitan area 90 miles south of Charlotte has a population of some 800,000 residents.

Police said the investigation began in early March when the victim reported sexual abuse by Gibson and physical abuse by Young in the couple’s foster home, according to WACH Fox 57 in Columbia.

The victim was identified as a female by WLTX News 19, though authorities have not officially confirmed the victim’s sex.

Authorities took the minor into emergency protective custody on March 18. But during an emergency protective custody hearing on March 20, a family court judge returned the minor to Gibson and Young’s home.

According to WACH Fox 57:

Investigators had arrest warrants for both suspects after more interviews and collecting evidence, officials said. The child was again placed into emergency protective custody after the arrest.

Young was a licensed foster parent from June 2021 until June 2025, according to South Carolina Department of Social Services. The agency told WBKO News that she cared for six children in her home, but voluntarily relinquished her foster parent license.

There was no mention of Gibson living at the home and his name was not on the license, the agency told the news outlet, adding that Young also never disclosed that she was married, telling the licensing agency she was not in a relationship.

According to news reports, Gibson is a pastor at Pathway 2 Hope Ministries in Columbia. Young owns and operates DreamCatcher Child Development Center.

Both the pastor and his wife were released, Gibson on a $75,000 bond, Young on a bond for $10,000.

Veteran crime writer Lowell Cauffiel is the author of the New York Times true crime best seller House of Secrets , which documents one of the worst cases of child sex abuse in U.S. history, and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.