Austin Diocese Implicated in Child Abuse Suit

TEXAS
The Austin Chronicle

BY SARAH MARLOFF, FRI., APRIL 1, 2016

On March 10, Father Milton Eggerling became the seventh Austin-based priest to be accused of sexual abuse (according to the Database of Publicly Accused Priests in the United States). Attorney Tahira Khan Mer­ritt filed a civil suit for her client, John Doe 120, who claims he was sexually abused by Eggerling from the ages of 11 to 16.

Due to Eggerling’s death in 2008, and Texas’ statute of limitations – the abuse allegedly happened from 1973 to 1978 at what is now known as St. Louis King of France Catholic Church on Burnet Road – Doe cannot pursue criminal charges. Instead, the civil suit looks to hold the Austin Diocese accountable for placing not only Doe but hundreds of other children in Eggerling’s care. “The lawsuit alleges negligence and gross negligence against the diocese and its bishops because they knew, or should have known, of Eggerling’s propensity to molest boys,” Merritt states in the press release. The suit seeks unspecified damages and monetary relief of more than $1 million.

Doe was just shy of 12, a student and altar boy at St. Louis when he first met Eggerling. Doe served mass to Eggerling, who tipped the boy $5. Coming from a less than ideal home life, Doe embraced Eggerling’s attention, according to Doe’s attorney. “The boy confided in the priest, and rather than helping him, Eggerling used that to manipulate Doe,” Merritt tells the Chronicle. The priest’s attention continued. Soon he was taking Doe on trips to Barton Springs and the movies, claims the suit, all the while talking to the boy about masturbation and attempting to convince him that it was all right to change into (and out of) swim trunks in the priest’s presence.

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