Settlement Reached in California Child Sexual Abuse Case
A recent child sexual abuse case has been settled against two California religious institutions. The combined settlement is thought to be the largest against a religious institution in California history, with a combined total of $10 million. The settlement was reached against the Diocese of Orange and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for child sexual abuse that occurred in past decades. Victims have come forward over the years to report sexual abuse that happened at the churches, primarily at the hands of two priests.
Victims of sexual abuse can reach out to the California child sexual abuse attorney at Beck Law P.C. to find out about possible options for obtaining financial compensation.
Years of Sexual Abuse Allegations
There are two cases that were combined in the settlement. These primarily focus on the actions of two priests, Fr. Eleuterio Ramos and Fr. Siegfried Widera. The sexual abuse first happened at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and later at the Diocese of Orange after the latter split off from the former. The complaint states that most of the abuse happened after the split, which was in 1976. Accordingly, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will pay $500,000, and the Diocese of Orange will pay $9.5 million.
What Did the Church Do After Reports of Child Sexual Abuse?
The church received reports of child sexual abuse dating back to the early 1970’s. Fr. Ramos reportedly started sexually abusing children shortly after he was ordained. One of the victims published details of the abuse in 2005, which details the abuse of more than 25 young boys. The diocese initially removed Fr. Ramos from service and sent him to a recovery facility for Catholic priests located in Massachusetts. The facility primarily handles alcohol abuse.
Allegedly, Ramos continued to proposition boys even while at the facility. The facility recommended that the diocese remove Fr. Ramos from active ministry. However, that did not happen. Instead, the diocese moved Ramos around to different churches for ten years, basically covering up the crimes rather than taking action to prevent future crimes. The diocese settled 5 cases of abuse in the 1990s.
Even after he was no longer allowed to minister in the United States, the diocese facilitated a transfer to a ministry in Tijuana. There, he was put in charge of children’s ministries. It is likely that he continued to commit child sexual abuse crimes while in Mexico.
Priest Admitted His Crimes
Additional men started coming forward to report abuse that occurred at the hands of Ramos in the past. One of the victims obtained a tape recording where Fr. Ramos admitted the acts. Unfortunately, Fr. Ramos died in 2004, with 11 child sexual abuse lawsuits pending against him at the time. The diocese is being held responsible for the actions because they were aware of the allegations at the time and failed to take appropriate action.
The Diocese of Orange put out a statement regarding the case. A spokesman for the Diocese of Orange stated in part, “…it is important to note that the allegations in this case date back more than 40 years and do not reflect the Diocese of Orange as it stands today.” They went on to say
“We remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults and supporting those suffering.” This case is the first of the lawsuits that have been filed since 2020.
If you or someone you love is the victim of child sexual abuse, don’t delay. Call our California child sexual abuse lawyer at Beck Law P.C. at (707) 576-7175 to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your case.
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