March 24, 2006

Church sued over reported abuse

SEATTLE (WA)
The Seattle Times

Seattle
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been accused in a lawsuit of persuading a 12-year-old boy not to cooperate with authorities after he reported that a Mormon priest sexually abused him.

The suit claims the priest, who also was a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, victimized the boy around 1981 to 1983.

The suit further claims the boy, who also belonged to the church, told his mother about the abuse, which she reported to church and civil authorities around 1984. But, the suit alleges, church officials pressured the boy not to cooperate, telling him he would not be believed.

Posted by kshaw at March 24, 2006 07:08 AM