Adelaide youth pastor Daniel Menelaou, facing US child abuse material charges, ran programs at two schools
A youth pastor facing child abuse material charges in the US ran wellbeing programs within at least two Adelaide schools, with parents being warned “out of caution”.
SA News
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A former Adelaide youth pastor facing charges relating to child abuse material in the US ran wellbeing programs at two schools.
Acting Salisbury High School principal Danni Margan sent a letter on Thursday to families informing them Daniel Menelaou had attended the school multiple times while working for Futures Church – formerly Influencers Church.
“Mr Menelaou was employed by the Futures Church, and in that capacity he attended our school as part of lunchtime and wellbeing program,” the letter read.
“Due to the nature of the lunchtime and wellbeing program activities being conducted in open areas and visible to school staff, we do not believe any child at the school was put at risk when Mr Menelaou attended at the school.
“The information available to the school at this time suggests that there is no need for any concern for any child at our school.”
The letter, dated April 10, said Mr Menelaou attended the school on June 21, 2022, March 3, 2023, and June 15, 2023.
Ms Margan encouraged parents and caregivers to contact her directly if they had concerns about the safety and welfare of their child.
An Education Department spokesperson saidthe letter was issued at two Adelaide schools “out of an abundance of caution”, where Mr Menelaou was known to have run the program.
“Following reports of his arrest inquiries were undertaken about his engagement on department school sites in South Australia,” the spokesperson said.
“There is no reason to believe any child at either school was put at risk, however the letters have been sent in order to inform parents of this matter and provide information about support services should they have any concerns about the safety and welfare of their child.”
Mr Menelaou began working at the Paradise church in Adelaide’s east in 2018, and continued working at Futures Church for several years as a youth pastor across several campuses in South Australia.
He had recently relocated to the US, where he was in a similar role at the mega church’s Alpharetta, Georgia, campus.
In early March, the 28-year-old married man was arrested in Georgia, after a tip-off alleged he had been sharing sexually explicit videos featuring children.
He was charged with possession or control of any material depicting a minor in sexually explicit conduct.
The messages were allegedly shared through a messaging app, with authorities seizing a number of electronic devices from the South Australian man.
Mr Menelaou was granted bail in the US in late March after paying almost $200,000 to secure his release.
Known as Influencers until 2022, Futures is the state’s largest megachurch, with seven campuses across South Australia as well as five locations in the US, including Alpharetta.
After the arrest, a spokesman for Futures Church said they were “horrified” by the charges and “categorically condemn these (alleged) actions in the strongest possible terms”.
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