Gregory Norton was a former youth pastor at Oak Hill Church: Church of the Nazarene and the Westside church located on Old Middleburg Road. He was arrested in September, 2023 and charged with sexual battery of a child he met through church and another person he met as a nurse at a children’s hospital. In October , 2023, when he was charged with ten additional counts of sexual battery of a child older than twelve and less than eighteen while he had custodial authority.
Two people who were in his group at Oak Hill Church of Nazarene told about being mentored by Norton who sexually abused and raped him. The mother of a child in his then current group at Westside expressed concern about gifts he has given her son and a back massage he had given. Other children also received back massages that she felt was a method of grooming. The investigator also contacted the children’s hospital where he worked. A mother reported that he touched her child’s penis. The arrest affidavits are very detailed and specific. When the case became public, another survivor came forward.
Unfortunately, Norton died in custody on January 31, 2024, before justice could be served by a trial. He had been in the hospital since January 19th receiving care for a “continuing medical issue.”
- News4Jax: Former Wolfson Children’s Hospital nurse, Jacksonville church youth group leader accused of child sexual abuse
- Action News Jax: Former youth pastor and hospital nurse facing 10 more counts of sexual battery
- First Coast News: JSO: Youth group leader accused of molesting children dies of ‘continuing medical issue’ in custody
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if you want to follow the case or read all the details in the arrest affidavits
