Editing Stephen Collins (section)

== Sexual abuse against minors ==
On October 7, 2014, the [[New York City Police Department]] began investigating  Collins after an audio tape leaked to the media revealed a male voice, purported to be that of Collins, admitting to past [[Child sexual abuse|sexual abuse of a minor]] under the age of 14.<ref name="ABC">{{Cite news |last=Effron |first=Lauren |date=December 20, 2014 |title=Stephen Collins Denies He's a Pedophile |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/stephen-collins-denies-pedophile-confessing-sexual-misconduct-girls/story?id=27728607 |access-date=March 18, 2018 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref>

A [[Los Angeles Police Department]] spokesperson stated that Collins had been investigated by the department in 2012 after receiving a claim from 18 years earlier regarding sexual abuse. The LAPD further stated that its investigation did not allow it to "substantiate the allegation" against Collins.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Prokupecz |first1=Shimon |last2=Almas |first2=Steve |date=October 7, 2014 |title=Source: '7th Heaven' actor subject of molestation allegations |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/showbiz/stephen-collins-molestation-probe/ |access-date=October 7, 2014 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Villareal |first=Yvonne |date=October 7, 2014 |title='7th Heaven' pulled after Stephen Collins molestation allegations |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-stephen-collins-7th-heaven-up-tv-20141007-story.html |access-date=October 7, 2014 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

In a December 2014 interview with ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'', Collins admitted to "inappropriate sexual conduct with three female minors" in 1973, 1982, and 1994.<ref name="usatoday" /><ref name="New York Daily News">{{Cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Meg |last2=Tracy |first2=Thomas |last3=Dillon |first3=Nancy |date=October 7, 2014 |title=Stephen Collins, pastor-dad in '7th Heaven,' admits to sexually abusing underage girl, exposing himself to 2 others (audio) |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/7th-heaven-dad-stephen-collins-admits-sexually-abusing-girl-article-1.1965747 |access-date=October 7, 2014 |work=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='7th Heaven' Actors Confronted With Co-Star's Horrific Abuse |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/7th-heaven-actors-confronted-with-co-stars-horrific-abuse/ |website=The Daily Beast |language=en-us |date=20 March 2025}}</ref>

The abuses were also the subject of an episode of the 2025 docuseries ''Hollywood Demons''.<ref>[https://www.channelguidemag.com/tv-news/2025/03/24/monday-march-24-hollywood-demons-investigation-discovery-stephen-collins/ Monday, March 24: ‘Hollywood Demons’ Exposes the Dark Side of Being in the Spotlight - Channel Guide Magazine]</ref>