News - Milwaukee Archdiocese Faces Lawsuit over Handling of Abuse Allegations

A legal battle is unfolding in Milwaukee as a woman sues the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and St. Matthias Catholic Parish and School, accusing the institutions of ignoring signs of child sexual abuse by former teacher Kevin Buelow. This case brings to light serious lapses in response to abuse reports and raises questions about institutional responsibility in safeguarding children. The plaintiff, now an adult, suffered abuse at the age of 11, reportedly during unsupervised tutoring sessions with Buelow. Her lawsuit claims the school and archdiocese neglected crucial warnings and allowed Buelow to continue working with children even after early concerns were made known. Buelow was convicted in 2024 for sexually assaulting five girls across two schools. Despite early reports of inappropriate behavior, school officials, including St. Matthias's principal at the time, Susan Booth, allegedly did not escalate the complaints properly. The lawsuit implicates Booth in failing to act as a mandatory reporter and continuing to allow Buelow access to children. Furthermore, the complaint outlines how school officials not only failed to inform parents of incidents but did not notify the next school Buelow worked at - Holy Apostles Catholic Parish and School - where he continued his pattern of abuse. The lawsuit underscores the need for stringent adherence to child protection policies, criticizing the archdiocese for not applying its own 'Safeguarding All God's Children' guidelines. These lapses resulted in severe emotional and psychological harm to the plaintiff, who now seeks justice and reparations for her suffering. This case highlights a troubling pattern of negligence and oversight within institutions tasked with child safety, challenging them to revisit and reinforce their protective measures to prevent further tragedies.