Child rape victim upset over Seattle Archdiocese’s statement

SEATTLE – A woman who weeks ago settled her child sex abuse claim against Seattle Archdiocese for $950,000 is now issuing a statement about the deal – because she’s upset about how the agreement was portrayed to parishioners.

The woman, identified as A.W., was raped in 1983, when she was 10, by Charles Siddons, a janitor at St. John Parish and School. Siddons pleaded guilty a month later. He died in 1997.

The woman sued the Archdiocese in 2015 after she learned previous incidents of assault and inappropriate conduct involving Siddons had been reported to school officials.

Last month, the archdiocese sent a message to parishioners about the settlement, noting that there was nothing to indicate Siddons was a threat when he was hired.

In a statement issued Wednesday through her lawyers, Jason Amala and Michael Pfau, the woman said that “makes it sound like my claim had no merit.”

The archdiocese did not immediately return an email seeking comment.