News Summary
Myron and Kathleen Chorbajian, a couple linked to a local church in Greenville, South Carolina, face more than 90 charges, including child abuse allegations that span decades. Their arrest followed a victim’s report detailing alleged mistreatment within their household. The accusations detail horrific acts of physical and sexual abuse against their adopted children, as both remain in custody without bond. These shocking allegations have left the Greenville community in disbelief as the legal process unfolds.
Greenville, South Carolina – Myron and Kathleen Chorbajian, a couple connected to a local church, face over 90 charges, including disturbing allegations of child abuse that reportedly began decades ago. The Chorbajians were arrested in May 2025 following a victim’s report detailing years of alleged mistreatment. Myron serves as the pastor of the First Southern Methodist Church, and the couple is known to have adopted numerous children throughout their marriage.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office has released new warrants containing harrowing details of the alleged abuse. Myron Chorbajian is facing a total of 63 charges, including two counts of attempted murder. Meanwhile, his wife, Kathleen, faces 26 charges, with specific allegations including abandonment of a minor child and being an accessory after the fact. Both were denied bond during a hearing held on June 11 and currently remain in the Greenville County Detention Center.
The charges include extensive accounts of child sexual abuse and brutal physical discipline allegedly inflicted upon the Chorbajians’ adopted children. The attempted murder charges against Myron involve incidents from the 1990s, during which he is accused of depriving children of oxygen, subjecting them to near-drowning by holding them underwater or wrapping his arms around their necks.
Graphic accounts detail other forms of abuse, including an incident where Myron allegedly forced a child to smoke cigarettes until she vomited, as well as instances of making children consume trash and feces. In one horrifying case, he reportedly killed a pet rabbit with an axe in front of a six-year-old girl and subsequently forced her to eat the animal. Another child is said to have had a kitten thrown into the engine of a van as a form of punishment.
Additional allegations against Myron include sexual abuse of a child on her 12th birthday, both in their home and on an office couch. During one reported assault, he is accused of restricting the child’s breathing until she lost consciousness. Kathleen has also been implicated in the abuse; she allegedly handcuffed a child to a bed for extended periods and inflicted physical harm by slapping and striking them, causing visible injuries.
Myron’s alleged physical abuse continued with shocking methods of punishment, including taking a victim to the woods, stripping her naked, and beating her with a stick, resulting in severe bruises. Other charges detail instances of forcing children to scavenge for food in dumpsters and making one child consume an entire bar of soap. He is also accused of beating a child with a belt until they lost consciousness and tying another child to a basketball post, where he struck them more than 50 times.
In a particularly alarming report, one victim suffered a serious head injury when Myron allegedly broke a coffee mug over her head, leading to a diagnosis of epilepsy. Unfortunately, it has been reported that two of the victims, who were children during the time of the abuse, are now deceased.
The sheer volume and severity of the charges against Myron and Kathleen Chorbajian underscore the gravity of the situation. As the legal process unfolds, many in the Greenville community are grappling with the implications of these allegations, particularly regarding the welfare of children who were in the couple’s care.
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Additional Resources
- WYFF4
- Fox Carolina
- WRDW
- Greenville Online
- Fox Carolina
- Wikipedia: Child Abuse
- Google Search: Greenville pastor Myron Chorbajian
- Google Scholar: Child Sexual Abuse
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Child Abuse
- Google News: Greenville child abuse case
Author: STAFF HERE GREENVILLE
The HERE Greenville Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Greenville community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Greenville Our team includes lifelong Greenville residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent sales in the Heritage Historic District 17 , Greenville’s textile and railroad heritage 2 , and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Greenville Technical College programs) 27 . Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
