Fort Pierce, Florida — When an anonymous tipster finally worked up the courage to call police, what officers discovered inside a local pastor’s home was nothing short of a nightmare hidden behind church walls.
Gwendolyn Rolle, 59, a pastor at New Hope International Church in Fort Pierce, now faces five felony counts of child neglect after investigators say she subjected five young foster children — siblings between the ages of 4 and 9 — to conditions no child should ever endure.
According to an arrest warrant reviewed by police, Rolle was not even a licensed foster parent. She claimed to have taken the children in after their father abandoned them. What she allegedly did next is what shocked even seasoned officers.
While her own biological daughter enjoyed hot meals from KFC and Popeyes, the five foster kids were sent to bed hungry. On nights when they were fed at all, dinner was ramen noodle packets or school leftovers — nothing more.
The cruelty didn’t stop at food. Rolle allegedly kept the only working bathroom in the house locked — accessible only to her biological daughter. The foster children were handed a bucket to use as a toilet. To bathe, they were taken to the front porch, handed a garden hose and a bar of soap, while siblings took turns holding up a sheet for privacy.
“She gets to shower, and get better food such as KFC or Popeyes… sometimes the children do not get to eat dinner and have to go to bed hungry.” — Arrest warrant, citing a victim’s statement
The consequences followed these children to school. Classmates bullied them daily because of the smell on their clothes and bodies. One child told investigators that a school staff member quietly gave her perfume to spray on herself before class — just so other kids wouldn’t make fun of her.
A neighbor who let the children visit her home told police that her living room smelled unbearable after they slept there. She said she tried giving them food, clothes, and toys — but Rolle would confiscate everything, either throwing it away or handing it to her own daughter.
The children also described physical abuse — slaps to the face and other strikes — and said Rolle called them “b—ards.”
The tipster who finally broke the silence told police they had always been afraid to speak out. “Since Gwendolyn is a pastor and held to a higher standard within the community, [the tipster] has always been afraid to say anything,” the warrant states.
What Happens Next: Rolle has since bonded out of jail. Her case is now moving through the St. Lucie County court system. The five children have been removed from her care. No trial date has been set, but the arrest warrant — filled with victim statements, neighbor accounts, and school staff testimony — paints a picture prosecutors will likely use to build a strong case.
For five children who only wanted a safe home, the person trusted to provide it allegedly made every day a punishment. Now it’s her turn to answer for it.
