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Second Molestation Lawsuit Filed against Seymour Priest By Lauren Garrison New Haven Register August 5, 2010 http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/08/05/news/valley/doc4c5aec01e16dc486420185.txt Contact: lgarrison@newhavenregister.com A second man has filed a lawsuit against a Catholic priest who most recently served at St. Augustine Church in Seymour, claiming he was molested as a young boy. The lawsuit, filed by an anonymous Watertown man, claims The Rev. Stephen Bzdyra sexually abused him when he was a 7-year-old student at St. Hedwig’s Church in Naugatuck. The suit claims that Bzdyra threatened the boy not to tell anyone about the abuse. According to Faxon, the victim, named John Doe in the lawsuit, was taken by Bzdyra into the school basement to be disciplined for bad behavior. There, Bzdyra pulled down the child’s pants, spanked him and fondled him, according to Faxon. Upon turning 18, Doe shared his story of abuse with his parents and close friends but was afraid to come forward publicly until he saw the first alleged victim in the news last month, according to Faxon. Doe then decided to contact Stratton Faxon. Faxon said Doe hopes to help other victims by coming forward and wants Bzdyra to be held accountable for his acts. “This monster should have been shut down long ago,” said Attorney Joel T. Faxon of Stratton Faxon, who represents this alleged victim and another who filed a lawsuit against Bzydra last month. “Unfortunately, it took the fortitude of two individuals through our legal system to do the job the diocese could not.” Bzdyra was placed on leave last month from St. Augustine, after William Dotson filed a lawsuit claiming Bzyra sexually molested him when he was an altar boy in the 1980s. The Archdiocese of Hartford’s spokesperson didn’t immediately provide a comment. Check back here at newhavenregister.com for updates to this story. |
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