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  Deceased Schoolteacher Subject of Abuse Report
Man Who Died Aug. 31 Is Accused of Molesting Catholic School Pupil

By Liz F. Kay
Baltimore Sun
September 7, 2005

A lay teacher at Catholic schools in Baltimore and Howard counties who died last week has been accused of sexually abusing a girl, Archdiocese Of Baltimore officials said yesterday.

Stephen E. Brotzman, who taught at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Towson last year and at St. Louis School in Clarksville for the previous five years, also is accused of sending "inappropriate" e-mail to another girl, said Sean Caine, director of communications for the archdiocese.

Brotzman, 37, of Abingdon, died Aug. 31.

The archdiocese was investigating allegations about e-mail before Brotzman's death, Caine said. Then parents of another girl reported Thursday that she had been molested, Caine said.

He confirmed both girls were of middle school or early high school age but did not release other information about them, including the schools they attended, noting privacy concerns.

The state medical examiner's office performed an autopsy on Brotzman, but results had not been released yesterday.

Archdiocese officials sent letters to families of students at both schools and held meetings Sunday to answer questions, Caine said. The letters also were included in Sunday's bulletins of the affected parish churches.

"Our primary goal was really to reach out and find out if we had other victims, as quickly as possible," Caine said.

Members of the archdiocesan response team attended both meetings to discuss issues surrounding both the death and the allegations of abuse, he said.

The response team also went to Immaculate Heart of Mary yesterday, the school's first day of classes. Brotzman had taught eighth-grade English and religion there since last fall, after transferring from St. Louis School, where he had taught middle school.

Brotzman also led sports camps during the summer for two years at Norbel School in Elkridge, for four years at St. Louis, and at Our Lady Queen of Peace School in Middle River, Caine said.

The principals of Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Louis schools could not be reached for comment.

Caine said Baltimore County and Howard County police have been notified.

Brotzman died at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, according to the medical examiner's officer. He was married, according to a published death notice.

On the archdiocese's Web site, officials urged anyone with knowledge of child abuse to report it, offering the number for Baltimore County's Department of Social Services: 410-853-3000.

Anyone wishing to report allegations against clergy or church personnel is asked to call the Archdiocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection hot line at 866-417-7469.