Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog
A Chicago area priest accused of sexual abuse reportedly jumped from a 20 foot high church balcony yesterday as a sexual abuse investigation regarding his conduct heated up. Rev. Alejandro Flores, a 37 year old parochial vicar of the Holy Family Parish in Shorewood, IL, was reportedly found unconscious lying between the pews of St. Mary’s Camelite Church in Joliet, IL. The priest survived the fall but has suffered traumatic head injuries. He remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet as of yesterday. The priest is listed in critical but stable condition.
Flores had just been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into allegations that the priest had sexually abused a thirteen year old boy. Both Kane County and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) are currently investigating the sexual abuse allegations against the priest. Flores had been placed in diocese residence in Joliet where he was to be closely monitored and kept from contact with children. Detectives were on the way to Joliet to interview the priest regarding the sexual abuse allegations when he fled the Joliet diocese residence. He was found at St. Mary’s, which is a boarded up and vacant church, about three and half hours after he went missing. Flores was reportedly carrying a jacket, cell phone, glasses, a large knife and a bottle of liquor when he fell from the balcony. The sexual abuse investigation is ongoing.
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