Fr. James B. Bettendorf
In 12/2017 a woman reported to Bishop Boyea that Bettendorf sexually abused abused her sister in the 1950s, when the sister was a student at St. Michael High School in Flint MI. The woman said that her sister disappeared after high school for many years; she found her with the help of a private detective when their mother was ill. The sister confided that during high school she told their mother of the abuse, and the mother – who was a parish employee and “worshipped” the priests – didn’t believe her and said if it did happen it was because she came onto the priest. The sister left after their dad died, with whom she was very close. She said Bettendorf stalked her while she was in college. In 12/2017 the alleged victim was terminally ill. She died in 2018. Bettendorf died in 2012.
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