Several Missouri boarding school students settle lawsuits

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sixteen former students at a now closed Missouri Christian boarding school have settled lawsuits alleging they were abused while attending the school. The Kansas City Star reports that about two dozen lawsuits had been filed against Agape Baptist Church, which operated the former school near Stockton in southwest Missouri. The amounts of the settlements have not been disclosed. Four other lawsuits were refiled in federal court and four are pending in state court. The settled cases accused the school of inflicting emotional distress, negligence and battery on the students. Some of the former students alleged they were sexually assaulted and tortured. The school closed in January.