Victim Claims Diocese of Camden Priest Abused Her as a Child

According to a recent lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Camden by a woman in her 60s, a priest formerly associated with the diocese repeatedly abused her as a child.

New Jersey Woman Files Lawsuit Against Diocese of Camden

Plaintiff Patricia C. filed her lawsuit against the Diocese of Camden in early February 2020. According to Patricia, she was abused by Reverend Daniel Francis Marks Millard from 1957 to 1965. Patricia claims that the abuse started when she was five and continued until she was 13.

According to Patricia’s lawsuit, Millard worked with children as an integral part of his role with the church. However, Patricia claims that the diocese knew of, or should have known, that the priest was a potential danger to the children in his care.

During his time as a priest, Millard was moved to at least six different churches. While Millard’s name was not included on a list of credibly abused clergy members released last year by the diocese, many priests who were moved from church to church were transferred due to allegations of inappropriate behavior. Patricia is the only victim to have come forward so far with claims against Millard. Millard died in 1973 at the age of 50.

Patricia filed her lawsuit under a New Jersey allowing victims of childhood abuse whose cases had expired under previous statutes of limitations to reopen their cases. She has previously spoken out against a nun associated with the Catholic Church, alleging that the woman engaged in an inappropriate relationship with her as a teenager.

According to Patricia, her early sexual abuse by Millard left her feeling lost and vulnerable. She claims that this isolation allowed her to be easily preyed upon by the nun who met her at age 15.

Patricia claims that Sister Eileen Shaw befriended her, giving her gifts, and prompting her to open up about her past abuse. However, according to Patricia, the nun soon also began to exploit her. They would take trips together to Shaw’s beach house, or go camping, where the pair would sleep in the same sleeping bag. According to Patricia, the abuse she suffered at the hands of the nun led her to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Eventually, as an adult, she approached Shaw’s community, the Sisters of Charity, with allegations against the nun. The Sisters of Charity and Patricia came to an out-of-court settlement agreement, where the Sisters denied negligence or responsibility, and Patricia signed a confidentiality clause in exchange for an undisclosed financial sum.

New Jersey Abuse Laws

Although many Catholic dioceses now offer victims who claim that they were abused by priests or nuns to pursue compensation through victims compensation funds, these settlements often require victims to sign away their rights to speak about the abuse or pursue future legal action. However, under recent updates to New Jersey’s sexual assault laws, many victims who have previously been barred from pursuing justice may be able to do so.

In May 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a law allowing victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits against their abusers until age 55, or within 7 years of realizing the abuse harmed them. Prior to the updated law, victims had strict time limits for filing lawsuits, and it was much more difficult for victims to sue the institutions that allowed their abuse to occur.

The new law also instituted a look-back window, during which victims whose cases had expired in the past will be allowed to reopen their cases. This two-year window opened in December 2019 and will extend until December 2021.

If you or a loved one was abused by a nun, priest, or other clergy member affiliated with the Catholic Church or the Diocese of Camden, you may be able to hire a qualified attorney to review your case and determine whether you are eligible to file a class action lawsuit. Victims who file lawsuits against over the Roman Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal may be able to recover compensation for their experiences, pain and suffering, and applicable medical expenses.

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