A New Jersey nun is accused of sexually abusing a first-grade student at a Catholic school more than 50 years ago, according to a new lawsuit.
The victim, now 62, alleges Sister Mary Nazareen molested her as a child in a suit filed in Monmouth County Superior Court against Rumson’s Holy Cross School.
“Sister Mary Nazareen used her position as a teacher to gain the confidence and trust of plaintiff,” the Dec. 13 suit said. “Nazareen exploited her position as teacher and coerced and/or forced plaintiff to engage in improper sexual contact.”
The woman, whose name is being withheld by The Post, names Holy Cross School, Holy Cross Parish, former school administrators and the Diocese of Trenton in the suit, which is seeking unspecified damages for “severe emotional distress and physical injury.”
She claims school officials were notified of her molestation allegations, but didn’t take any steps to remove the nun from her position or alert local law enforcement.
The Diocese of Trenton said it recently learned of the allegations and reported them to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, NJ.com reported.
The outlet was unable to locate Nazareen for comment.
Both Holy Cross School’s principal and the victim’s lawyer declined to comment on the suit, NJ.com reported.
The suit comes after new legislation in New Jersey that allows sexual abuse victims who were minors until the age of 55 or within seven years of realizing they were abused to take legal action.