Moms Talk: It's Not OK to Choke Your Kids

Creflo Dollar is the founder of Creflo Dollar Ministries and CDM Global Missions. World Changers Church International, the megachurch where he is pastor, sits on 81 acres in College Park, Ga., and holds services in the 8,500-seat World Dome.

The 50-year-old pastor is known for wearing lavish suits and preaching that God rewards the faithful with material prosperity.

Now he’s known for allegedly beating his 15-year-old daughter.

Fayette County Police went to the Dollar home . Dollar's daughter alleged her father grabbed her by the throat in the family's home on Sandy Creek Road, pushed her to the ground and then beat her with his shoe, according to the incident report. 

The girl’s big sister, Alexandria, 19, was an eye witness and backs up her sibling’s claim. Alexandria reported to deputies that their father "put both hands around her sister's neck and choked her for about five seconds," the incident report said.

Alexandria Dollar said she then saw Dollar grab her little sister by the shoulders and slap her in the face. She says her sister tried to break free but was thrown to the ground.

Alexandria then ran to get Taffi Dollar, the girls’ mother, whose arrival in the kitchen allegedly put an end to the fight. Taffi Dollar told police she didn't see the fight. She just saw her daughter on the floor.

Creflo Dollar denies the allegations and said the incident was part of the devil's plan to "discredit" his ministry.

"Malicious witnesses testify against me," he said, reading from Psalms 35 in the Old Testament. "They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about ... May those who rejoice in my discomfort be humiliated and disgraced."

But Fayette County Sheriff's deputies say they found ample evidence to charge the prominent televangelist and author with simple battery, family violence and cruelty to children.

Now that I’ve laid out a brief outline of the happenings, let’s talk about the matriarch of the Dollar househould, Taffi.

These are allegations, and nobody outside of the family knows exactly what happened that night. Reports indicate that Taffi was called into the kitchen by her older daughter when the girl became afraid for her sister. Did she witness the altercation? She says no.

I know children can be dramatic and misconstrue things, but is the fact that her husband was so physically violent with one of her children that it spurred another child to run to her for help enough to make her take those girls and get out? It would be for me.

Where do you draw the line? What is the final straw that makes you take your children and go?

While Creflo Dollar has been vehemently defending himself against his two daughters’ claims, his wife Taffi has been conspicuously quiet.

Dollar’s young daughter stated in her call to 911 that this type of abuse from her father has happened before. Is her mother aware of this? Why in the world are those girls still in the house with him?

We’ve all read and heard tell of tragic stories of mothers who stay in abusive homes, putting themselves and their children in life-threatening situations. We don’t know for sure yet if that’s the situation in the Dollar home, but if you or someone you know finds yourself in that situation, please, please summon the steel in your heart and find a way to leave and protect yourself and your kids.

You can find tips to help you leave here.

It’s not easy, particularly if your life is built around his, but the safety and happiness of your children should be your first priority at all times.

What’s your take on this, moms? Do you know someone in this situation? Would you leave if you were in Taffi’s situation? Please discuss in the comment section.