Seattle Catholic archdiocese settles sexual abuse claim

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s Catholic archdiocese has agreed to pay a Washington woman $725,000 as part of an early dispute resolution to her lawsuit alleging an unidentified employee sexually abused her at the Catholic school she attended more than 40 years ago. The woman, identified by her initials, T.R., was an 8-year-old third grade student at the archdiocese’s private St. Louise Parish School in 1977 when an unidentified playground attendant started sexually grooming her. The lawsuit says the employee repeatedly molested the girl. The archdiocese says the early dispute resolution protocol aims to avoid litigation that can retraumatize victims.