Ventura Country Star
The Associated Press
Originally published 10:45 a.m., February 27, 2013
Updated 12:09 p.m., February 27, 2013
SAO PAULO (AP) – A Roman Catholic priest is being investigated for allegations of sexual abuse of three young girls in his parish in southeastern Brazil, police said Wednesday.
A police spokeswoman said Father Emilson Soares Correa is under investigation for committing the alleged abuse in Niteroi, a city across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro. She declined to be identified in accordance with department policy.
The Archdiocese of Niteroi said on its website it was conducting its own investigation and that Correa has been temporarily suspended from his priestly duties.
The spokeswoman said one of the girls, now a 19-year-old woman, claims the abuse started when she was 13.
She told police Correa gave her “expensive gifts and paid for repairs that had to be done in her home,” the spokeswoman said.
She said that last year the woman and a 15-year-old friend videotaped a man they said was the priest having sexual intercourse with them. The woman’s father gave her the camera to film an encounter and use the tape as evidence, she added.
Part of the video aired by the Globo TV network showed a man identified as the priest naked from the waist up, kissing and embracing the woman and her friend.
The priest’s attorney, Roberto Vitagliano, told Globo TV that the woman’s father tried to use the tape to “blackmail Correa but when he refused to pay money for it he took it to the police.”
The spokeswoman said the father is being investigated for alleged extortion.
Correa is also being investigated for allegedly sexually fondling the woman’s now 10-year-old sister three years ago.
“When questioned, he acknowledged he maintained consensual sexual relations with the woman and her 15-year-old friend, but denied he committed any kind of abuse with the 10-year-old girl,” the spokeswoman said.
“When questioned, he acknowledged he maintained consensual sexual relations with the woman and her 15-year-old friend, but denied he committed any kind of abuse with the 10-year-old girl.”
Consensual? With a 15-year-old girl?
I personally have deep trouble with the father arming the girls with a camera to videtape the abuse. Why any father would send his daughter and a 15-year-old girl off to be abused yet again – and tape the abuse – is beyond me completely. I think the father has problems too!
But, by the sound of it, it’s on camera – Fathert Correra may have a hard time worming his way out of this.
As you and I have discussed Sylvia, what happened to this man’s vow of celibacy and chastity? Apart from the fact that this involves a minor, this man can not remain a catholic priest, and have integrity and credibility when it comes to spiritual guidance of his flock.
I too have difficulty with the father using his daughter as bait. That’s really low in my books, but it can’t detract from this “priest’s’ behaviour. Mike.
Agree Mike.
I don’t like the father’s approach, but that in no way minimizes the or excuses the actions of the priest