Woman sues Waite Park school, alleging decades-ago abuse

A woman has filed a lawsuit against a Catholic school in Waite Park alleging she was sexually abused as a young girl by a family that runs the school and a priest assigned to it.

A complaint filed by the woman in Stearns County District Court names Holy Innocents School, a private school not affiliated with the Catholic Diocese of St. Cloud. The woman, who is not named in the documents, says she endured "ritual sexual abuse" as a student there from 1978 to 1984, when she was 5 to 11 years old.

The complaint says five members of family that run the school and a priest who has since died abused the woman. School spokeswoman Theresa Carlstedt says the allegations are unfounded accusations. She says the school is seeking legal representation.

Josh Peck, an attorney with Jeff Anderson and Associates, the legal firm representing the woman, said she recently reported the abuse to authorities, but was told the statute of limitations has expired for criminal charges.

"She thought it was time to come forward," Peck said. "She had been thinking about it for years, and just finally got up the courage to do so."