Mother Sues Catholic Church after Administrators Accuse Her of Child Abuse

By Brendaliss Gonzalez
KSHB
May 18, 2015

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/mother-sues-catholic-church-after-administrators-accuse-her-of-child-abuse

[with video]

A Kansas woman is suing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, alleging administrators falsely accused her of child abuse.

The woman’s attorney filed the lawsuit against the Diocese, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shawnee and the principal for the church’s school last week.

According to the lawsuit, Melissa Schroeder claims she first notified her daughter’s teacher of bullying against her daughter in April 2014.

She also notified the Sacred Heart School's principal later that month.

However, she alleges nearly a month later, nothing was done, even after she provided notes from her daughter’s doctor stating the girl was suffering from severe migraines possible caused by “some of the bullying at school.”

According to the lawsuit, the principal told Schroeder that “perhaps this school is not for you.”

Schroeder alleges she later found out the principal filed a complaint against her to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) alleging that she “was abusing and neglecting her ten-year-old daughter.”

“I think she’s a very brave woman who was genuinely concerned about protecting kids and protecting her kids from bullying and coming forward and exposing wrongdoing then that turned back at her,” said Sarah Brown, Schroeder’s attorney.

The lawsuit states that in her report to DCF, the principal claims Schroeder had asked “for the anointing of the sick” and “requested an exorcism” for her daughter.

Schroeder said she never asked for either of those things.

Furthermore, she said she met with a priest at the church to discuss the situation.

During the meeting, the priest confirmed that the principal had called DCF and that the superintendent of schools and a nun agreed the principal “should make the hotline call.”

Brown said the DCF closed their investigation regarding her client after they found no signs of abuse.

Her client is suing for punitive damages on several counts including defamation, malicious prosecution and invasion of privacy.

A representative for the archdiocese would not give a comment to 41 Action News regarding the lawsuit since an investigation is still pending.

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Brendaliss Gonzalez can be reached at brendaliss.gonzalez@kshb.com