Police Probing Sexual Abuse Allegations at Monsignor Slade Catholic School

Eye on Annapolis
May 9, 2013

http://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2013/05/08/police-probing-sexual-abuse-allegations-at-monsignor-slade-catholic-school/

According to online court records, Ritz has been charged with various drug offenses and was released on his own recognizance. Ritz is listed as being 60 years old and a resident of Brooklyn, MD.

Our media partner WBAL-TV is reporting that police are investigating an incident of inappropriate contact by several staff members with a former student at Monsignor Slade Catholic School in Glen Burnie.

Police are not releasing much information other than to say that several unidentified staff members were removed from the school and it is a criminal investigation.

According to neighbors, Slade’s Assistant Principal, Robert Ritz, was led from his home yesterday in handcuffs and police had confiscated what appeared to be a computer.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore released a statement this afternoon.

“As indicated in the email sent to all school families and staff yesterday evening, Anne Arundel County Police officers were on the campus of Msgr. Slade School yesterday afternoon. The police conducted a search in connection with an allegation from a former student who alleges being the victim of sexual abuse at the school in the mid-2000s. The police indicate that their investigation is ongoing and no charges related to the sexual abuse allegation have been filed at this time. We appreciate that you may desire more information about this matter. Because the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s policy is to cooperate and not interfere with such investigations, Msgr. Slade School and the Archdiocese are in close communication with the authorities and will await further information from them before communicating further about this matter.

Anyone with information relating to this matter is encouraged to call Anne Arundel Police at 410-222-8610. The individuals who are the subject of the investigation have been suspended until a determination is made concerning the veracity of the allegations.

“We also learned from Police today that early Wednesday police charged assistant principal, Mr. Robert Ritz, with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his home.”