Parents of Youngster Killed in Priest Crash Pleased at Arrest (The Associated Press)
Originally published by The Associated Press, May 9, 2002
HAVERHILL, Mass. (AP) — The parents of a young boy killed in a New Hampshire traffic accident involving a Roman Catholic priest say they are pleased the priest has been arrested on child sexual assault charges.
Harold and Sheila Francis, of Haverhill, believe their son also was molested by Ronald Paquin, and that the abuse led to the crash that killed him. Sheila Francis called the arrest a gift.
"It brings us great pleasure," Sheila Francis said. "This is the best Mother's Day gift I could have."
The former priest never was charged in the 1981 death of James Francis, 16. Paquin's car ran off Interstate 93 in Tilton.
For 20 years, the couple thought their son died by accident they even were comforted by Paquin after the crash. But a few weeks ago, other boys who were in the car at the time told them Paquin was drinking and crashed the car after molesting them at a camp in New Hampshire.
The couple has filed a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the accident.
Paquin, who once acknowledged in a newspaper interview that he had "fooled around" with boys, was arrested Tuesday at his home in Malden on one count of rape of a child under 16.
According to authorities, the charges that led to Paquin's arrest involve more than 50 incidents with a boy about 12 years old between January 1990 and January 1992. Officials say Paquin befriended the boy, then became something of a father-figure for the family.
Authorities say Paquin assaulted the boy in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Canada. Paquin was associate pastor at St. John the Baptist Church in Haverhill at the time.
In all, 12 men have accused Paquin of molesting them while they were at St. John the Baptist. The victims have told their lawyers that Paquin took them to New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Canada and Cape Cod and molested them there.
Even though Paquin is not facing charges for James Francis' death, Paquin's arrest was good news for the Francises.
"He deserves it," Harold Francis said of the criminal charges. "I hope he gets all the justice they can throw at him."
The Francises credit the Rev. Frederick Sweeney, current pastor at St. John the Baptist, for stopping Paquin from continuing to assault boys. Sweeney arrived at the parish about 12 years ago, and almost immediately he began to hear stories of Paquin molesting young boys.
With the help of his brother, who was a retired Cambridge judge, Sweeney launched an investigation that led to Paquin's removal.
