Diocese of Crookston Faces More Allegations of Sexual Abuse

By Victor Correa
WDAZ
November 21, 2013

http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/20957/

The Diocese of Crookston is facing more allegations of child sexual abuse, this time on various reservations in Minnesota and South Dakota.

At a news conference Thursday attorney Jeff Anderson announced a lawsuit on behalf of a victim being identified only as Doe 19.

Father J. Vincent Fitzgerald is being accused of sexually abusing children on White Earth, Leech Lake, and Lake Travers reservations. Doe 19 claims father Fitzgerald sexually abused him when he was eight or nine years old in 1984 on the White Earth Indian reservation in Naytahwaush, MN. At that time Doe 19 was Fitzgerald's 4th victim. While Fitzgerald is now deceased, Anderson is taking action against the Diocese of Crookston, claiming Fitzgeral's abuse was known but rather than having him removed he was instead relocated.

"his courageous survivor, who remains anonymous is using the Child Cictims Act to bring suit against those that permitted the offender to offend on the reservation," said Anderson.

This is the first civil suit to be filed under Minnesota's child victims act involving sexual abuse on a reservation.

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