In brief
The sister of a boy who drowned at a camp in Zimbabwe tied to abuser John Smyth has criticized the Church of England for not intervening sooner, claiming their negligence led to her brother's tragic demise.
The sorrowful tale of 16-year-old Guide Nyachuru's drowning at a Christian camp in Zimbabwe has reignited outrage directed at the Church of England. His sister, Edith Nyachuru, places the blame squarely on the church, stating, "They should have stopped him," referring to John Smyth, a notorious child abuser. Smyth, who had a history of mistreatment involving boys in the UK, relocated to Zimbabwe after the Church ignored earlier allegations.The church had been aware of horrific abuse, including canings detailed in a 1982 investigation, yet Smyth thrived in Zimbabwe, overseeing similar camps. For Edith, Guide was an intelligent and cherished boy, poised to be head boy at school, but his life was cut short barely 12 hours after arriving at the camp. He was discovered drowned, but the family's attempts to see him were thwarted by incorrect claims about his "indecent" state after his death.Smyth, who had a fixation for nudity at the camps, was described by attendees as being jolly yet manipulative. He was later legally challenged for his abusive practices, but not before a troubling history of violence against boys had been exposed. Although an investigation by Zimbabwean lawyer David Coltart sought to halt Smyth’s activities, the damage was done.In the wake of this tragedy and multiple failed legal proceedings against Smyth, who passed away in 2018, Edith has urged church leaders to take accountability. She voiced that her brother should still be alive had the Church acted on the warning signs. Despite a recent apology from the Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledging Smyth's responsibility, Edith declared it "too little, too late." As calls for accountability grow, there is a pressing need for institutions, including the Church, to address these failures and support victims of abuse.
