‘Urban exploring’ vandals target historic Ruma convent, authorities say
A teenager and six juveniles from Missouri have been charged or cited in connection with vandalism at the Adorers of the Blood of Christ convent in Ruma, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.
The teens are accused of breaking a window on a lower level building last month and then entering to take “urban exploring” photos and videos of the property to post on social media, according to a news release from Sheriff Jarrod Peters.
“This investigation uncovered an extensive group of juveniles and young adults that are engaged in what they call ‘Urban Exploring,’” Peters wrote. “These individuals break into buildings or structures to ‘explore’ and then post photographs and videos across multiple social media platforms from the inside of the buildings.”
The Adorers of the Blood of Christ complex in Ruma traces its roots to 1876. It is located at 2 Pioneer Lane.
A 2022 Belleville News-Democrat article about the Catholic sisters reported the organization was transferring the nuns who lived at the site to other locations because the membership had dropped from about 200 nuns and women in formation in the 1950s and 1960s to fewer than 40. The 112,000-square-foot brick complex includes the original 1867 structure and two additions, one built in 1890 and one in 1926 on about 400 acres.
The vandalism occurred Feb. 14-15 and the damage was reported Feb. 16. Also, investigators also have learned of other instances of crimes occurring at the Adorers of the Blood of Christ center and “they have identified multiple other offenders and are seeking charges,” Peters said.
Cheyenne Andrews, 18, of Cedar Hill, Missouri, was arrested March 13 in Jefferson County, Missouri, on Randolph County warrants for criminal damage to property — damage exceeded $500 but did not exceed $10,000 to a place of worship and for criminal trespass to real property, according to Peters. The criminal damage charge is a felony while the trespassing charge is a misdemeanor.
Andrews was transferred to the Randolph County Jail and later released with pretrial conditions, Peters said. She has a preliminary hearing set for April 30.
Sparta attorney James Kelley is representing Andrews and he said Andrews will plead “not guilty” during her court date on April 30 because “She is not guilty.” Kelley declined to comment further.
A representative from the Adorers of the Blood of Christ could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Along with Andrews, six others have been charged or cited in the case. Their names have not been released because they are juveniles.
A juvenile from Dittmer, Missouri, and a juvenile from Arnold, Missouri, were charged with the same offenses as Andrews.
Two other juveniles from Arnold, one from Imperial, Missouri, and one from Cedar Hill were cited with criminal trespass to real property.
Surveillance video from the Adorers of the Blood of Christ site and from nearby locations was used by detectives.
Peters said his department will continue to investigate cases of “urban exploring” and seek prosecution to “the fullest extent of the law.”
“This type of activity may seem harmless to some people, however, I want to be clear that my Office does not share that sentiment,” Peters said.
