SARASOTA (FL)
ABC 7 [Sarasota, FL]
April 30, 2024
By Jordan Litwiller
In a phone conversation between ABC7′s Jordan Litwiller and Charlotte County priest Leo Riley, he made it clear that the allegations against him are not true.
“Whenever you see a loved-one suffering, it’s painful,” said his brother Michael Riley.
Michael says these allegations don’t match up with the man he has known his whole life.
“He has a heart of gold, and he is probably one of the kindest people you can imagine,” Michael said.
Despite the five people who have claimed to be abused by Leo, Michael’s support for his brother is unwavering, saying, “People can say things, that doesn’t mean it’s true.”
But sexual abuse victims advocate David Pooler from Baylor University says, in cases like this, it often times is.
“Generally, people don’t make up abuse stories because they themselves then have to go to court and have to testify, they have to be scrutinized by the public in various ways,” Pooler said.
Pooler works specifically with victims of abuse at the hands of clergy members.
“Anytime there is a person with elevated authority and power and people around them that trust them, the possibility for abuse exists,” Pooler said.
This creates a power dynamic that he says rears its ugly head far too often.
“This happens way more frequently than we would like to admit,” Pooler said.
Riley’s brother says there are certain things about the timeframe of the allegations that defy common sense but Pooler added that kids can often wall off their pain simply as a survival mechanism before eventually being able to come forward.
“The damage is so profound and long-lasting when a child is abused especially, it can literally take years for them to even remember what happened,” Pooler said.
Father Leo Riley told ABC7 that he is still in Florida after bonding out, but will be turning himself in to authorities in Iowa in the future.