Richmond Diocese investigating sexual abuse allegations involving Virginia Beach students

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Catholic Diocese of Richmond says it has reassigned two people as it investigates allegations of sexual abuse committed against students at a Virginia Beach Catholic school.

A statement released May 17 by the Diocese says claims were made against a now-deceased parent of a student at St. John the Apostle, which is located along Sandbridge Road.

The investigation into whether its policies were followed properly has led the Diocese to remove temporarily the parish priest who oversees the school and the principal of the school, who since has retired.

Meredith Hatchell, the mother of a St. John student, told WAVY she had notified school officials in early May that a parent, whom she later identified as Vincent Jakawich, had allegedly molested her daughter and that she reported that allegation to the Virginia Beach Police.

Sources told WAVY that Jakawich died by suicide in Currituck County, North Carolina, shortly after these allegations emerged.

The diocese said in its statement that, during its investigation, Father Rob Cole, pastor of St. John the Apostle parish, had been placed on temporary leave, and that St. John the Apostle Principal Mariam Cotton had decided to retire.

Bishop Barry Knestout appointed the Rev. Esteban De Leon, pastor of Star of the Sea Catholic Church, as the temporary administrator of the parish, and Assistant Principal Jennifer Davey will serve as principal in the interim.

Families of students at the school first learned about the accusation on May 10, in a letter from Cotton.

“We wish to inform you about a serious allegation of abuse made against a school parent and brought to the school administration’s attention yesterday,” Cotton’s letter said in part. “The accused parent has recently passed away. Understandably, there has been considerable concern following the revelation of this information publicly. As parents, I want to assure you that the accusation made did not occur on school grounds of which we are aware. We do know the information was reported to Child Protective Services.”

Cotton encouraged parents to speak with their children about inappropriate touching.

WAVY News 10 started looking into this case after receiving a tip from a viewer that a parent handed out letters to families at St. John that addressed the accusations.

That led reporters to Hatchell, who said she was arrested for trespassing on school grounds when she handed out a letter about the incident to parents of other students. She said she spent a day-and-a-half in jail.

Hatchell told WAVY that on May 8, her 12-year-old daughter told her that a neighbor allegedly had sexually abused her when she was 7 years old. Her daughter identified the man as Jakawich, 45.

The notes Hatchell distributed to parents identified Jakawich and advised parents to talk with their kids if they’ve ever spent time at the Jakawich home.

WAVY confirmed in court records that Jakawich had been arrested in a separate incident several years ago and was charged with felony aggravated sexual battery on a victim under the age of 13. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery and served a suspended sentence.

The Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office told WAVY that evidence was contradictory in that case and the victim’s family agreed that the plea to the misdemeanor was the best outcome.

Hatchell told WAVY she feels betrayed.

“I spent years of my life with this person thinking that they were a safe haven,” Hatchell said. “We were with them [the Jakawich family] three, four maybe five times a week, and they never disclosed any information about a court case.”