The Diocese of Richmond has announced that they are investigating allegations of sexual abuse of students at St. John the Apostle Catholic School by a now deceased individual. Court documents from a previous sexual abuse case in 2021 mentioned the school, but it is unclear if the alleged incident occurred on school grounds. The accused, Vince Jakawich, was a parent at the school and voluntarily turned himself in to authorities. The alleged victim was enrolled in St. John’s Catholic School, leading to a condition that Jakawich not enter the school premises. The Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney’s Office confirmed that the alleged victim attended the school. The Diocese is working with law enforcement agencies to investigate if their policies were followed. Fr. Rob Cole, Pastor of St. John the Apostle parish, has been placed on leave during the investigation, with Very Reverend Esteban De Leon temporarily appointed as administrator of the parish. The Office of Catholic Schools will provide additional support to school administration. The Virginia Beach Child Protective Services determined the allegation of abuse to be unfounded in the case. The Diocese is committed to ensuring a safe environment for children in their institutions. Updates on the situation will be provided by 13News Now as the story continues to develop.
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Student sex abuse accusations made against St. John the Apostle Catholic School
