A former Baltimore priest, William “Father Bill” Mannion, was arrested for child sex abuse allegations from over 30 years ago. He is facing charges of child abuse and multiple sex offenses from the early 1990s in Baltimore. Mannion reportedly left the priesthood in the late 1990s for reasons unrelated to the alleged abuse. The Archdiocese of Baltimore expressed sadness over the allegations and is cooperating with law enforcement to protect children and aid abuse victims.
The investigation started when a victim reported the abuse in October 2023, and there may be additional victims. Maryland’s Child Victims Act, passed in October 2023, allowed alleged victims to file lawsuits against abusers without a statute of limitations. The Act has resulted in numerous lawsuits, including against the Archdiocese of Baltimore where allegations of abuse span nearly 80 years.
Former students at McDonogh School also recently came forward with abuse allegations against faculty members from the 1960s to the 1980s. Furthermore, victims of abuse in Maryland’s juvenile justice system protested for accountability for the abuses suffered in detention centers.
The arrest of Mannion and the ensuing investigations highlight the prevalence of child sex abuse cases in Maryland. The state’s efforts to address and act upon these long-standing issues serve as a call to action for holding abusers accountable and supporting victims of abuse.
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