EspañolJaime Arriaga, Catholic Priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Downey, Accused of Sexual Misconduct Involving Minor
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA (April 8, 2025) – A priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Downey, identified as Father Jaime Arriaga, is facing criminal sexual assault charges that involve a minor.
There is a growing concern about the possibility that there may be additional victims. Father Jaime Arriaga began working at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church as a deacon before later serving as a priest after being ordained on June 1, 2024.
The 41-year-old defendant was arrested on charges of lewd acts involving a minor. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
The Archdiocese has released a statement indicating that Father Jaime Arriaga has since been removed from his role in the church. This occurred after they received a report of alleged misconduct involving a minor.
Prior to being ordained, the defendant also served in a position at St. Louis of France in La Puente. He is currently being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail.
Liability for Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has been more widespread across Los Angeles than many people initially realized. According to the Los Angeles Times, “More than 300 priests who worked in the archdiocese in Los Angeles have been accused in public records of sexually abusing minors.” Hundreds of victims have come forward to bring civil claims over the years. This has led the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to pay an estimated $1.5 billion to resolve claims alleging sexual misconduct. A number of factors can help reduce child sexual abuse at religious institutions.
- Background Checks: All clergy, staff, and volunteers at a religious organization should undergo background checks.
- Adult Supervision: Special safeguarding measures should be put in place to protect children. In particular, individual children should be supervised by at least two adults at all times.
- Mandatory Training: Religious institutions should provide routine abuse training to all clergy, staff, and volunteers. Training should help people recognize grooming behaviors that often precede sexual abuse.
- Reporting Systems: Religious institutions should create easy and anonymous reporting mechanisms to help shed light on misconduct.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles could face liability for child sexual abuse that takes place in their churches. Churches have a legal duty to protect children entrusted to their care from sexual abuse and other forms of misconduct. In particular, a church can be liable if they negligently retained or hired a priest or other employee that they knew (or should have known) posed a danger to children. This may include situations where a particular priest was the subject of numerous misconduct claims.
It is also possible that a church allowed abuse to take place by failing to adequately supervise the actions of clergy, staff, or volunteers. The Archdiocese has a special relationship with the children in its care, and that imposes certain duties on them. Consider, for example, Doe v. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles. According to the Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, Division Five, “An archdiocese has a duty to take reasonable measures to protect its students from injuries at the hands of others while they attend catechism classes.” It is important that certain steps are taken after any instance of child sexual abuse.
- Police Report: The misconduct should be reported to the police. Authorities can begin investigating all allegations of abuse and preserve key pieces of evidence.
- Medical Records: Victims of sexual misconduct may need to undergo a medical evaluation. This can also be crucial in helping to preserve important evidence.
- Investigation: The scope of the misconduct should be understood. Sexual abuse involving children is often not an isolated incident. In many cases, there could be several victims.
- Records: It is important to determine whether or not a church or other religious institution had prior knowledge about any misconduct involving a defendant. Internal records can help demonstrate that a church knew about a defendant’s history of misconduct.
- Legal Counsel: Victims of sexual misconduct should seek out the guidance of an experienced sexual abuse attorney. An attorney can be extremely helpful in many different aspects.
It can be hard to know where to begin after experiencing sexual abuse by a Catholic priest. This abuse can be particularly traumatic and harmful for children. According to the Journal of General Internal Medicine, childhood abuse is associated with numerous adverse physical and psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide attempts. Any person who is sexually abused by a priest in Los Angeles is able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim. If you’ve been the victim of child sexual abuse, an attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case in a risk-free and confidential setting and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Sexual Abuse at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Downey
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP were deeply concerned to hear about the allegations related to Father Jaime Arriaga. Any person who may have more information should reach out to the authorities. There needs to be a thorough investigation into the scope of any misconduct at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. It is our sincere hope that there is the accountability and transparency necessary for any needed reforms.
Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles? You may have legal recourse. Our team of sexual abuse attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We have dedicated our careers to helping victims of sexual abuse get the support and justice that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here to listen and serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375. Se habla español.
