A New Jersey nun is accused of sexually abusing a former student at Holy Cross School in Rumson.

Lawsuit Filed Against Holy Cross School and Diocese of Trenton

In December, plaintiff Carole C. sued Holy Cross School and the Diocese of Trenton accusing Sister Mary Nazareen of sexually abusing the plaintiff in the 1960s, when Carole was a first-grader, MSN.com reports. Holy Cross School is part of the Diocese of Trenton.

Now 62, Carole says she attended the school from kindergarten through seventh-grade. Sister Mary Nazareen, who was a teacher there, used her position of authority to gain Carole’s trust and confidence, according to the complaint. Nazareen allegedly used this position of trust to coerce Carole into engaging in inappropriate sexual activities. Carole claims in her lawsuit that this abuse consisted of various sexual acts including harmful and offensive touching to which Carole did not consent.

Carole’s lawsuit claims that school officials were notified of the allegations against Nazareen, but failed to take action and instead allowed her to keep teaching. Neither school officials or the diocese, according to the suit, notified law enforcement of the allegations. According to the lawsuit, Holy Cross School employees not only failed to investigate the allegations, but actively concealed the possibility that a school employee may have committed sexual abuse.

Although the press has not been able to locate or contact Nazareen, the Diocese of Trenton has commented on the lawsuit, saying that it was unaware of the allegations until recently and upon learning about it, reported it to the Attorney General’s Office and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, according to The Patch.

Carole is seeking compensation for damages including severe emotional distress, physical injuries, healthcare expenses, and loss of quality of life.

New Jersey Sexual Abuse Laws

In December, a new New Jersey law went into effect giving sexual abuse victims a two-year window to file civil lawsuits in cases for which the statute of limitations had previously expired. Since the institution of this new law, many sexual abuse suits have been filed in the state.

The new statutes of limitations give New Jersey victims until age 55 to sue their abusers, or within seven years of realizing that the abuse had harmed them. Additionally, the new two-year window gives sexual abuse victims whose cases had expired under the previous statutes of limitations the opportunity to reopen their cases and pursue litigation.

Under New Jersey’s previous sexual abuse laws, victims of childhood assault had only until age 20 to pursue litigation. And adult victims were only allowed two years following their abuse to file a lawsuit.

If you were abused by a Catholic priest, nun, teacher, or other affiliate of the Catholic Church, you may be able to hire a qualified attorney and file a class action lawsuit under New Jersey’s recently updated sexual abuse laws.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.