NEW HAVEN — A Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing children while serving as director of a New Haven orphanage in the 1990s has been cleared of all charges by the Archdiocese of Hartford.
The New Haven Register reports the Rev. Jeremiah Murasso has returned to his parishes in Waterbury after the archdiocese “conducted an extensive and thorough investigation” into the allegations of abuse at the St. Francis Home for Children, which no longer exists.
A statement released by the archdiocese says the investigation found that the allegations against Murasso, which were first reported in July, were not substantiated.
Murasso has returned to his post as the reverend at Blessed Sacrament Church and the Shrine of St. Anne in Waterbury
Murasso ran the orphanage, also known as Highland Heights, from 1992 to 1995 while he was pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Naugatuck. The home closed in 2012 after 160 years of service.
Murasso didn’t return requests for comment.
