Abuse of Young Inmate Alleged

An El Sereno priest who is under investigation by Los Angeles police for sex abuse allegedly began molesting a teenager at Central Juvenile Hall, where the priest counseled incarcerated youngsters, according to the attorney for the teenager’s family.

The alleged victim, 15, told a therapist in April that he had been molested by Father Stephen Hernandez several times since meeting the priest in 1998, said Marc D. Wasserman, the boy’s attorney. The therapist notified police.

Hernandez, 68, attempted suicide by cutting his wrist and taking an overdose of pills after learning that the Los Angeles Police Department’s sexually exploited child unit was investigating the allegations, police said. Hernandez is one of 34 priests under investigation by the unit.

Lt. Daniel Mulrenin said detectives investigated the allegations against Hernandez and forwarded the case to prosecutors for a decision on whether to file charges. “He did have access to youths in Juvenile Hall,” Mulrenin said.

Donald Steier, the priest’s attorney, said Hernandez did nothing wrong. Hernandez, who retired in 1997, could not be reached for comment. He was living at Our Lady of Guadalupe church in El Sereno.

Tod Tamberg, the Los Angeles archdiocese spokesman, said Hernandez was retired and his official assignment history does not indicate that he worked either as a chaplain or volunteer chaplain at Juvenile Hall.

“We cannot divulge any information because of the confidentiality of the minor,” said Ken Kondo, a spokesman for the county Probation Department, which runs Juvenile Hall. He confirmed that the department knows about the police investigation.

Wasserman said Hernandez met the Eagle Rock youth at the county facility on Eastlake Avenue.

“My understanding, he was conducting church services inside central juvenile and he started seeing [the boy] on a weekly basis,” Wasserman said.

The boy developed a close bond with the priest and eventually Hernandez became his godfather, Wasserman said. Some of the molestations allegedly occurred in the sleeping area of the hall, Wasserman said.

The attorney also alleged that after the youth’s release, Hernandez touched him at the boy’s home and at the priest’s home at Our Lady of Guadalupe church.

The priest, he said, also took photographs of the teenager in various states of undress. A search warrant was served on the priest’s residence after the boy was interviewed by Los Angeles police.

Wasserman said the teenager is back in the juvenile system because of criminal allegations. Wasserman declined to say why he is being held.

Los Angeles police said they are seeking any other possible victims. “We need people to come forward,” Mulrenin said. An individual who comes forward may be able to corroborate another victim’s account, he said. “That second account can be vital to a prosecution.”

Those seeking to report abuse by a cleric can contact the sexually exploited child unit at (213) 485-2883.