Ordained: 1943
Died: 2016
Assigned as follows:
- Holy Cross School, Newfoundland, Canada
- St. Bonaventure College, Newfoundland, Canada,
- All Hallows High School, Bronx, NY
- Cardinal Hayes High School, Bronx, NY
- Bishop Kearney High School, Irondequoit, NY
- Iona College, New Rochelle, NY
- Bishop Hendricksen High School, Warwick, RI
- Guadalupe Regional Middle School, Brownsville, TX
- Los Hermanos Community and Centro Juan Diego- St. Leo Parish, Bonita Springs, FL
- Christian Brothers Central Harlem Community, Harlem, NY
- St. Joseph Residence, New Rochelle, NY
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Br. John Laurence Heathwood:
A Rochester woman filed suit in 1993 accusing Brother John Laurence Heathwood, a popular teacher and theater director at Bishop Kearney High School, of sexually assaulting her beginning in the late 1960s, when she was a student at the Irondequoit school. She said the attacks continued for years and included threats and coercion. She says the abuse left her unable to conceive children.
Upon learning of the allegations, the school removed Heathwood from his position.
The victim's lawsuit was dismissed by the Court due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Heathwood died in 2016 in New Rochelle, New York.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Rochester. The Diocese of Rochester in New York filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019. Our lawyers are now offering free legal consultations to discuss a potential lawsuit and your other options as a survivor of sexual abuse by priests and other employees of the Rochester Diocese.
Very strict filing deadlines have now been set by the Bankruptcy Court. Most victims of abuse will never be able to recover damages if they miss this deadline, so please contact us to discuss your case today. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com.