STORY AT 6. STARTS NOW. >> OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT AT THOSE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AT A LOCAL CATHOLIC GRADE SCHOOL. THE DIOCESE OF RICHMOND IS NOTIFYING PARENTS ABOUT THESE ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING THE PARENT AT SAINT JOHN, THE APOSTLE SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA BEACH. YOU SEE REPORTER BRENDAN PONTON IS SPEAKING WITH THE PARENTS WHO SAY THEIR DAUGHTER IS A VICTIM AND BRITAIN IS ALSO PIECING TOGETHER WHAT ELSE WE'VE LEARNED SO FAR. THE SCHOOL SENT PARENTS A COPY OF THIS LETTER INFORMING THEM THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ALLEGATION OF ABUSE MADE AGAINST A PARENT WHO IS NOW DECEASED. AND THE LETTER SAYS THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS HAPPENED HERE ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. IT WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR MY WIFE AND I AND OUR DAUGHTER AND MY SONS WHO HAD TO LEARN ABOUT THIS ALL TOGETHER. 10 MEREDITH HATCHELL SAY THEIR DAUGHTER RECENTLY CAME FORWARD AND SAID SHE WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED. >> BY THE FATHER OF ONE OF HER FRIENDS NAMED EVENTS AND WHICH THEY THEN CONTACTED VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE AND THE POLICE CAME INTO OUR THEY GIVE US ALL THE INFORMATION. THEY TOOK THE CASE. NOW, THE DIOCESE OF RICHMOND HAS NOW NOTIFIED PARENTS OF SAINT JOHN, THE APOSTLE IN VIRGINIA BEACH OF THE ALLEGATIONS, JACK. OH, ITS HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY NEWS. THREE'S WORKING TO CONFIRM THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS DEATH NEWS. 3 DOES NOT NORMALLY IDENTIFY THE VICTIMS OF ABUSE, BUT THAT'LL SAY THEY WANT TO GO PUBLIC IN CASE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL VICTIMS. MY DAUGHTER IS A. SHE'S ALREADY BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SHE'S NOT DOING WELL. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE FACT THAT SHE'S SHE'S NOW TOLD ALL OF US IS HELPING THE HATCHES HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY HAPPENED TO THEIR DAUGHTER, INCLUDING CONFRONTING WHICH HIS WIFE, HIS WIFE, AND TOOK OUT 3 CHARGES ON MEREDITH HATCHELL, INCLUDING DISORDERLY CONDUCT. WE HAVE ATTORNEYS FOR OLE MISS WHERE WE'RE JUST GOING TO SWEEP. WE CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE ANY OF THIS IS HAPPENING IN A SEPARATE CASE DATING BACK TO 2020 JACKET WHICH WAS INDICTED ON A FELONY CHARGE OF AGGRAVATED BATTERY INVOLVING A CHILD UNDER 13 YEARS OLD IN 2022, THE FELONY WAS DOWNGRADED TO A MISDEMEANOR ASSAULT IN BATTERY CHARGE, WHICH HE PLEADED GUILTY TO. HE WAS NOT SENTENCED ACT OF JAIL TIME. THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAYS THE REASON FOR THE DOWNGRADE CHARGE WAS, QUOTE, EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE THAT CONTRADICTED THE VICTIM'S VERSION OF EVENTS THAT HATCHELL CZAR PERPLEXED. HE WAS STILL AROUND THE SCHOOL AFTER THE INCIDENT. IT WAS VERY SHOCKING. THE DIOCESE OF RICHMOND DID NOT RESPOND TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THEIR STATEMENT SAYS THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IS ON TEMPORARY LEAVE. WHILE PARENTS WERE NOTIFIED, THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL WOULD BE RETIRING. WE JUST WANT EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT SPEAK TO THEIR CHILDREN OR DAUGHTER HAS BEEN SUFFERING. FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS. WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND ITS IT
