SOUTHLAKE, Texas – Gateway Church says it has removed several elders who knew about abuse allegations against founder Robert Morris. The Southlake-based church is also cooperating with an ongoing criminal investigation.

Morris resigned from the church this June after a woman, Cindy Cleminshire, alleged that Morris sexually abused her between 1982 and 1987, when she was 12 years old.

Cleminshire, now 54, said he raised his allegations more than once with Gateway Church leaders.

When the claims became public, the south lake The church’s board of elders said they did not know that the “young lady” in question could be 12 years old.

The church hired the law firm Haynes and Boone to investigate what church elders knew about the claims before June of this year.

The church says six people refused to talk to investigators, including Morris.

The law firm says they found there was a group of employees and elders who did know Cleminshire was 12 years old at the time of the reported abuse and another group who knew of the allegations against Morris but did not ask further questions.

The church says elders who were in either group were fired and other staff members who knew about it will not be allowed to become elders.

Gateway leaders say the investigation revealed a “culture failure” at the church.

“We must be honest with ourselves and recognize that our culture allowed this truth to remain buried for too long,” said Gateway Church elder Tra Willbanks. “At some point in the past, Gateway’s culture became one where power was centralized and the leader at the top was surrounded by people who wanted to protect him. Some of them at all costs.”

The church says it is rewriting its bylaws and changing the governance structure to avoid similar problems in the future.

Gateway said it found no other allegations of sexual assault against Morris.

Morris is not currently facing any charges in connection with the sexual abuse allegations, but the church revealed that a criminal investigation is underway.

“You also need to know that Gateway Church is currently and fully cooperating with an ongoing criminal investigation, the details of which we are unable to share with you at this time,” Willbanks said.

Gateway says neither the church itself nor the current leadership is subject to the criminal investigation.

The church says it received financial demands from Morris, but rejected them.