Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Leo Van Hoorn
In August 2020, Fr. Leo Van Hoorn was publicly accused of abusing a male minor at Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1962. The lawsuit alleged that Fr. Van Hoorn was a "diseased pedophile who raped and sexually assaulted many young boys."
The Permanent Review Board, which evaluates all allegations of clerical sexual abuse involving minors, investigated the allegation in 2006 and determined it was credible. It's unclear from the diocese's report if this allegation was the same allegation enumerated in the 2020 lawsuit. Nevertheless, further details about the nature and scope of the allegation are unknown.
The 2020 Lawsuit against Father Leo Van Hoorn
The lawsuit asserts that on several occasions, Fr. Van Hoorn entered the Plaintiff's bedroom and assaulted him. Fr. Van Hoorn was close with the Plaintiff's family and would often eat dinner at their home, the complaint reads.
According to the Plaintiff, after receiving "electroshock treatments for significant emotional and psychological disorders," Fr. Van Hoorn recuperated at the Plaintiff's family home. At this time, the Plaintiff says he was a first or second grader.
There are currently no updates regarding the case.
Father Leo Van Hoorn History and Whereabouts
Ordained in July 1955, Fr. Leo Van Hoorn moved to America from Holland in 1956 and began his ministry at St. Rita's Church in Alexandria. After nearly 25 years of service, Fr. Van Hoorn was suspended from ministry in 1979. The Diocese of Alexandria did not explain his dismissal in its report.
Fr. Leo Van Hoorn died in 2006 at a Baton Rouge hospital. His whereabouts after his suspension in 1979 are largely unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Louisiana, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Alexandria may now have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Louisiana and nationwide. We can help.
