I'll tell you why

Because in older times, the prosecuted could take refuge in a church and be spared (except of course the prosecuted for religious crimes, like heresy and witchcraft). It was understood that they put themselves under the jurisdiction of God.

With the separation of church and state, it is no longer realistic or sanctioned to take refuge into a church - the church delivers you to the secular state enforcers (with a handful of exceptions, as the very famous cases of illegal migrants taking refuge in a church to avoid being deported have shown).

But we still have that imbued into our culture and way of thinking - even though most churches have now taken to condemn us publicly and rather strongly. But it's not surprising to see paeds taking refuge in a church.