Parents sue 'basement sex priest'
An American couple have launched a lawsuit over a priest who allegedly had sex with their daughter
A Pennsylvania couple secretly videotaped a Roman Catholic priest having sex with their 18-year-old daughter in the basement of their home and are now suing, saying he got her pregnant.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, alleges that the Rev Luis A Bonilla Margarito carried on a sexual relationship with the teenager while he was the chaplain of Reading Central Catholic High School which she attended at the time.
The girl's parents became suspicious and installed a camera in their basement, where Bonilla and the teenager were spending large amounts of time. The camera recorded the couple having sex in November 2009, after she had graduated, according to the suit.
Her parents took the video to the Diocese of Allentown, which removed Bonilla from his dual posts as chaplain and pastor of St Joseph Church in Reading after he acknowledged an "inappropriate relationship" with the teenager, according to a diocesan news release.
Bonilla was sent to a treatment facility, but "continued to have intimate contact with (the teen) during this time period and ultimately impregnated her," the suit said. She recently gave birth to a girl.
Bonilla, 41, has since left the treatment facility.
"He has no assignment and he has not functioned as a priest since November," diocesan spokesman Matt Kerr said on Friday.
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages for breach of fiduciary duty, infliction of emotional distress and gross negligence. It names as defendants Bonilla, the diocese, the high school, Allentown Bishop John O Barres, and former Bishop Edward Cullen.
The suit was first reported by the Reading Eagle newspaper.
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