LAKE CHARLES, LA — For years, clergy abuse cases have made headlines across the country.

In Louisiana, a lookback law passed in 2021 has allowed hundreds more victims to file suit. In Southwest Louisiana, 7News uncovered a dozen sexual abuse lawsuits against area churches.

Their stories are now in black and white.

“What amount of money could possibly replace somebody losing their innocence in their youth? None,” Robert Salim, a Natchitoches attorney who represents several victims, said.

The local allegations date back to the 1960s. Victims were as young as 5. Priests, pastors, and nuns are named as defendants.

The lawsuits include graphic details — many published for the first time after Louisiana’s lookback law allowed the cases to be filed.

“For most of Louisiana’s history, up until the mid-90s, children who were sexually abused had just one year to file a lawsuit,” Kristi Schubert, a New Orleans attorney who specializes in child sex abuse and exploitation cases, said.

In 2019, New York enacted the Child Victims Act, a measure that significantly extended the statute of limitations for child victims of sexual abuse. Many states followed suit, including Louisiana, which unanimously passed the “lookback law” in 2021.

Before Louisiana’s law passed, many survivors who came forward as adults were barred from suing their abusers after turning 28. The lookback law gave all victims until 2024 to file a civil lawsuit.

However, pushback led to a battle in court.

“This question made it to the Louisiana Supreme Court. And the Louisiana Supreme Court said ‘no’, the survivor’s right to justice here is the most important thing,” Schubert said. “So they upheld the law.”

Then, state lawmakers passed an extension. Victims now have until 2027 to file suit.

Dozens of states have extended their lookback periods, and at least nine have eliminated the statute of limitations for felony child sexual abuse — a move advocates like Schubert say is necessary.

“Obviously, most seven-year-old children are not in a place where they can,” Schubert said. “Sometimes they can’t tell their parents because they are afraid. They feel so much shame or fear. Sometimes they literally don’t have the words to explain what happened to them. They don’t even know what happened, and they won’t understand it until they’re older.”

Robert Salim represents hundreds of victims of sexual abuse connected to churches, including several in Southwest Louisiana.

“The pain never goes away for these,” he said. “I used to have a big PI practice. You get in a wreck, and you have a back surgery, right? Okay, you go rehab your back. And six months later, you know, you’re healed, basically, if you’ve had a decent result. These people are never healed. They live with this every day of their life.”

In one of his local cases, Salim says the accused priest faces allegations from multiple victims. Each lawsuit comes with unique complexities, and Salim says the stigma is compounded by resurfaced trauma.

Each victim must also go through psychological evaluations before a judge will approve their case to move forward.

“You don’t have people just saying, oh, you know, ‘I’m going to go get some money from this.’ These are all legitimate claims,” Salim said. “I think most of the people, believe it or not, are not interested in the money. They want somebody to say, ‘I’m sorry,’ and mean it.”

“What this means to survivors is validation. It’s a jury of their peers saying, ‘We see you, we believe you, what happened to you is wrong, and we’re going to do something about it,’” Schubert said.

Schubert’s office has represented more than a hundred of these cases.

“I’ve seen so much good come from the look-back window, not only just seeing survivors get the support they’ve always needed, but also I’ve seen active child predators caught and put in jail because of the look-back window,” Schubert said. “I think there’s still a lot to do, but we are absolutely making progress, and I’d like to see that progress continue.”

Others are hoping for the same, including State Rep. Mandie Landry (D-New Orleans). She sponsored House Bill 409 to extend the lookback period another two years, giving abuse victims until 2029 to file.

Meanwhile, those who have named their alleged abusers wait for the wheels of justice. 7News reached out to the Diocese of Lake Charles. Attorney James Sudduth responded and provided the following quote:

“Unfortunately, due to the fact that these cases are in active and open and pending litigation we are precluded from commenting at this time.”

That means it may be quite some time — if ever — that we hear from those accused. With the prospect of more time for victims to step forward, the list could grow.

“I would guarantee you that for every claim that’s been brought, there are three claims out there that have never been brought,” Salim said.

Below is a list of the churches and organizations being sued, the accused, the years of the alleged abuse, and the ages of the victims:

• Lafayette Diocese; Our Lady Help of Christians, Roman Catholic Church of Jennings; Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School
  • Sister Thelma Dexheimer, 1966, 7 years old
• Lafayette Diocese; Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church, Lake Charles
  • Rev. Herbert Schuster, 1966-67, 13-14 years old
• Lafayette Diocese; Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Sulphur
  • Deacon Saunier, 1970, 10 years old
• Lake Charles Diocese; Our Lady Queen of Heaven
  • Priest Mark Broussard (convicted and sentenced to life in prison), 1988, beginning at 7 years old
• Lake Charles Diocese; St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Vinton
  • Reverend Charles Soileau, 1990-96, beginning at 10 years old
• The Missionaries of LaSalette
  • Brother Edmund, 1972-74, beginning at 7 years old
• Lake Charles Diocese; Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church
  • Rev. James Burke, 1985-89, 5-9 years old
• Lafayette Diocese; St. Henry’s Catholic Church
  • John Doe, around 1985, beginning at 7 years old
• Lake Charles Diocese, Immaculate Conception in Jeff Davis
  • Priest John Doe, around 1993, beginning at 13 years old
• Diocese of Lake Charles; St. Paul’s Catholic Church
  • Priest Michael Barras, around 1991, beginning at 8 years old

KPLC also found one diocese case rejected after a psychological exam

7News also found a case filed against a local Mormon church and a case filed against a local Protestant church. The case against the Mormon church was closed to be moved to U.S. court, although KPLC could find no record of it being filed in federal court. The case against the Protestant church has not yet been approved to move forward.

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