Blog: Dr. had child sex in Bangladesh

ALLENDALE, Mich. (WOOD) - An 80-year-old Allendale doctor faces allegations that he sexually abused a 12-year-old girl while working as a missionary overseas about 22 years ago.

Dr. Donn Ketcham is semi-retired now, and runs a practice part-time in Allendale. More than two decades ago, he worked as a medical missionary in Bangladesh, where the allegations surfaced.

It has taken until now for victims to come forward, and for the missionary group to admit Ketcham was fired for sexual misconduct.

Through its own investigation, the Pennsylvania-based international missionary, the Association of Baptist for World Evangelism -- or ABWE -- said on its website Wednesday it found Ketcham "sexually (abused) a female minor" while he worked as a missionary for the organization overseas.

The alleged sexual abuse surfaced in 1989.

Allegations from other victims are consistent enough to "lead us to believe they are credible," the ABWE goes on to say.

The group came forward with its statements in response to a group of alleged victims, who started an independent blog documenting their stories.

The blog contains letters where Ketcham and the initial victim allegedly confessed to the abuse. It also accuses the ABWE of misrepresenting what Ketcham did. The bloggers said the missionary group listed "an affair" as the reason for Ketcham's dismissal, not pedophilia.

In Wednesday's statements, the ABWE admitted it misrepresented the reason for firing the doctor, which may have indirectly helped Ketcham seek other opportunities without having to admit to allegations of sexual abuse.

24 Hour News 8 spoke to a man who grew up on the ABWE mission site in Bangladesh, and says two of his family members were abused by Ketcham.

"I see an organizational cover-up mentality," he said.

Although the ABWE expressed regret for those who may have been harmed by Ketcham's actions, this man said the organization should have done more, sooner.

"I'm a little disappointed that it's taken this long, and that it's taken the pressure of a blog, and the pain these girls have felt, that they've had to come forward in a public way -- which they would not have chosen if this had been dealt with in a proper way," the man said.

Ketcham couldn't be reached for comment in his Allendale office or at his home address in Hopkins.

Ketcham's medical record and license in Michigan is clean, and no charges have been filed against him in the U.S.

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