MINNESOTA
WDIO
Created: 01/02/2014
St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin issued the following statement regarding reports of sexual abuse by clergy within the Duluth Diocese:
The sexual abuse of a child is a felony offense. Jurisdiction to prosecute the case after investigation by law enforcement lies with the County Attorney’s Office. To enable us to hold offenders accountable and to protect our children, response to a report of sexual abuse needs to be compassionate and according to the law.
All allegations involving the sexual abuse of children by a priest or anyone, should always be reported. Allegations of sexual misconduct occurring within three years of the disclosure are required to be reported to either law enforcement or social services under the Minnesota Reporting of Maltreatment of Minors Law. These agencies then cross-report with each other. All other incidents should be reported, as they involve the alleged violation of criminal statutes. The issue of whether the statute of limitations has expired should be left up to the investigating agency. This is what should be done whether or not the victim wishes to remain anonymous. If there is any doubt about whether reporting is mandatory, the appropriate action is to report the matter to the responsible law enforcement agency or social services.
Earlier this year after conducting an internal investigation with the assistance of a professional, independent investigator, the Diocese of Duluth disclosed it had received from an adult in 2012, a credible allegation of sexual abuse by Father Cornelius Kelleher which abuse had occurred many years ago. The reporting victim requested that her privacy be respected and as a result, the Diocese did not report the allegation to law enforcement or social services. However, the Diocese did take immediate appropriate action to remove Father Kelleher from where he was residing as requested by the victim and has, pursuant to Church law, prohibited him from further acting publicly as a priest.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.