Horror inside Ninos de Mexico shelters: Over half a century of covering up sexual abuse and violence against children

"Merlyn and Wanda Beeman arrived in Mexico in 1966. The purpose of their trip was to assess the best way to meet the needs and evangelize the people. This led to the creation of the Ninos de Mexico program in 1967. The Beemans began taking in orphans at their home in Mexico City, attending to their basic needs from food, clothing, and shelter to providing religious instruction and spiritual guidance."

"However, the facade collapsed on November 12, when an investigation conducted by Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) uncovered evidence of decades of sexual abuse, physical violence, and psychological mistreatment of children and adolescents in these shelters. The 256-page GRACE report details how Ninos de Mexico, a nonprofit organization founded in Missouri, U.S., faced decades of complaints from victims, witnesses, and staff against at least 20 former employees who allegedly sexually assaulted the minors under their care."

Merlyn and Wanda Beeman established Ninos de Mexico after arriving in Mexico in 1966 and creating the program in 1967, initially housing orphans and providing food, clothing, shelter, religious instruction, and spiritual guidance. Funding came from contributions by churches and religious groups in the United States, and the operation expanded into a nonprofit running up to eight foster homes across the State of Mexico and Puebla. A 256-page GRACE investigation found decades of sexual abuse, physical violence, and psychological mistreatment beginning in 1968, naming at least 20 former employees and alleging leadership cover-ups and impunity for perpetrators. The organization announced immediate cessation of operations after the report and released a board statement claiming countless lives were blessed without addressing the findings.

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