A Catholic priest whose decades-long history of sexual abuse against children in the local deaf community was reportedly known to the New Orleans archdiocese for nearly 40 years has died after apparently falling in his Texas apartment. Police responded to a welfare check after receiving a report that an elderly individual had fallen, though no further details about the circumstances were immediately released. The case raises serious questions about institutional accountability, as allegations against the priest remained unresolved despite long-standing knowledge within the church hierarchy. Authorities have confirmed the priest’s death but have not yet provided his name in connection with the incident.
Archdiocese knew of allegations against Gerard Joseph ‘Jerry’ Howell for 40 years but continued to support himA New Orleans Catholic priest whose prolific sexual abuse of children in the local deaf community was known for at least four decades by the city’s archdiocese without meaningful consequence has died after evidently falling in his Texas apartment.Gerard Joseph “Jerry” Howell, 87, was found dead at about 5pm on 8 September by Austin police department officers who were responding to a welfare check on the block listed for the senior living community where he had been residing, the agency said in a statement. The statement – which didn’t name Howell but was provided when police were asked about his death specifically – said first responders had gone to the block to investigate a report that an 87-year-old individual had fallen. Continue reading...
