ARKANSAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, Sept. 5
Victims seek bishop’s help
Accused teachers go court next week
One pled guilty to molesting female student
And a fellow teacher didn’t report the crimes
Group wants Catholic officials to help prosecutors
SNAP to Little Rock diocese “Do aggressive outreach now”
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging Little Rock’s Catholic bishop to “aggressively seek out” others who may have “seen, suspected or suffered crimes” by two former Catholic school teachers who will be in court next week on child sex charges.
One of them, Kelly Ann O’Rourke, admitted molesting a student. The other, Kathy Gene Griffin, allegedly concealed O’Rourke’s crimes.
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are begging Bishop Anthony Taylor to use his “vast resources” to urge prod others “who might have knowledge or suspicions about the two teachers’ crimes or school or church cover ups” to call law enforcement officials immediately, “so the two might face or be convicted of more charges and end up behind bars so kids will be safer.” SNAP also wants Taylor to give the accused teachers’ personnel files to the prosecutors if he hasn’t done so already.
The group sent a letter to Taylor about their concerns this morning by fax and email.
On Sept. 16, O’Rourke will appear in Pulaski County Circuit Court (Room 220) on charges of violating her parole by repeatedly calling the girl she molested, then a teenaged Mount St. Mary (MSM) School student. ( The school is at 3224 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 501-664-8006 ).
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