The couple, who co-authored a bestselling book on relationships, were released on bond. Both are accused of felonies; neither has been convicted.
Bestselling Christian author and podcaster Heather Thompson Day and her husband, Seth Day, were arrested Sept. 24 in Keene, Texas, on felony charges tied to the alleged abuse of a child, according to new reporting from Religion News Service published by The Roys Report.
Thompson Day is charged with injury to a child by omission, a third-degree felony. Seth Day, a psychology professor, was initially charged with injury to a child, then hit with an additional charge on Sept. 25 of sexual assault of a child, according to a Keene Police Department arrest report. Both are 39. Jail records show both were released on bond: $100,000 for Thompson Day and $350,000 for Seth Day.
What the Arrest Affidavits Allege
Keene police first learned of the allegations Sept. 24, when an officer was called to the Johnson County Children’s Advocacy Center after a high school teacher reported signs of possible abuse, according to the affidavits as reported by RNS. There, the couple’s daughter told police her father had repeatedly abused her physically. She alleged that on Sept. 22, Seth Day struck her with her cell phone, leaving lacerations and bruising on her face and a bruise on her chest. The investigating officer documented the injuries.
The affidavit also alleges Thompson Day knew of the abuse and did not intervene. Her daughter told police that when her mother took her to the doctor, her mother told providers she did not know how the injuries happened, and that her mother told her to wear a mask to cover facial injuries.
The affidavit says the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services received other reports that were closed at the state level, with the last CPS-investigated incident on Aug. 8, 2026. The daughter alleged the family moved homes after earlier reports.
The additional sexual assault charge against Seth Day followed allegations investigators uncovered later, which led to a search warrant at the couple’s home, Fox 4 in Dallas–Fort Worth reported. The arrest report does not name the alleged victim of that charge.
Institutions Respond
Southwestern Adventist University, where Seth Day is an assistant professor of psychology, placed him on administrative leave. The university said the allegations do not involve its students, staff or faculty.
Christianity Today has pulled “Viral Jesus,” the podcast Thompson Day has hosted since 2021, from its platforms. Chief creative officer Erik Petrik told RNS the outlet felt it would be wrong to keep distributing the show while allegations involving the abuse of a child are unresolved, and that it will stay down until there is clarity in the legal process. Thompson Day also hosts the podcast “What If I’m Wrong?”
Both Days previously taught at Seventh-day Adventist colleges, including Andrews University, and Thompson Day was a popular speaker in the denomination. Alexander Carpenter, editor-in-chief of Adventist publication Spectrum, described the reaction among Adventists as “absolute shock.” The couple co-authored the bestselling book I’ll See You Tomorrow, and Thompson Day has written 10 books, according to Religion News Service.
The couple has not publicly addressed the charges, The Dallas Morning News reported. Thompson Day’s most recent Facebook post, dated Sept. 26, promotes her email devotional and says her ministry is focused on prayer in 2026. Her weekly “Friday Night Light” message went out the day after her arrest, apparently automatically, according to The Roys Report.
Past Ties to Faithfully Magazine
In October 2020, FM featured Thompson Day in a “Profiled” conversation by Josh M. Shepherd, which ran in our Fall 2020 issue. At the time, she was an associate professor of communication at Colorado Christian University. The 2020 feature, “Comms Prof Gets Truth Trending: A Conversation With Heather Thompson Day,” examined her rising influence as a digital communicator, her academic research on racial dynamics in learning environments, and her unique knack for distilling complex theological ideas into viral, accessible social media commentary.
Before that, Thompson Day was a regular contributor to FM’s Inspiration section. In her widely read 2017 essay for our publication, “That List of Qualities for Your ‘Perfect’ Man—Burn It,” Thompson Day reflected on her relationship journey, affectionately featuring anecdotes about her husband Seth and their early years together. She also contributed candid pieces addressing accountability and Christian community, such as “I’m Tired of People Passing the Buck and Pretending That It’s OK.”
Another piece, “I Wouldn’t Change a Thing…If I Were the Devil,” ran Oct. 4, 2017, in the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting. Her FM archive also includes essays on race, politics, womanhood and forgiveness, among them “White Guys Can Kiss Black Girls and Still Be Prejudiced,” “I Am Learning to Pray for Donald Trump and Mean It” and “You Don’t Have to Accept the ‘Sorry.’”
The charges against Thompson Day and Seth Day are allegations, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
This is a developing story.
Editor’s note: This article was compiled by AI with additional context and checks provided by a human editor.
If you or a child you know is in danger or experiencing abuse, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is available at 1-800-422-4453.
