RNZ: Gloriavale employment court case: Father feared for his daughters’ safety in community

By Niva Chittock | RNZ |

A former member of the Gloriavale Christian community has told a court his daughter suffered third-degree burns after having a seizure at work in the kitchen.

Six women, including the man’s sister, are arguing in the Employment Court in Christchurch that they were employees, not volunteers, during their time in Gloriavale.

Former member John Ready said while his epileptic daughter was working with boiling water in the kitchen, she had a seizure and suffered serious burns – one of which went unnoticed for six hours.

“Her hand was attended to, but she had a third-degree burn on her shoulder … No one was aware of it, not even my daughter was aware of it until that evening,” Ready said.

The community would probably last longer without the leadership than it would without the single women, Ready said.

Further reading: Gloriavale employment court case: Father feared for his daughters’ safety in community