Priest who was accused of child sex abuse is still AWOL from order but criminal investigations end

CHICAGO - In the 15 months since the Rev. Richard McGrath abruptly retired from Providence Catholic High School amid a probe into "potentially inappropriate material" on his phone, the priest was the subject of two criminal investigations, accused in a lawsuit by a former student of sexual abuse and deemed AWOL from his religious order.

Authorities have now closed both investigations without filing any criminal charges against McGrath, who led the New Lenox, Ill., school for three decades until a student reported that she saw what she thought was an image of a naked boy on the priest's phone.

Yet McGrath is still considered "illegitimately absent" from his order, its leaders said, and his current whereabouts are unclear.

New Lenox police said they ended the cellphone investigation after McGrath "steadfastly refused" to turn over the device. In the other criminal probe, involving the sexual abuse claims by a former student, Will County prosecutors said there was "insufficient evidence to bring charges." But a civil case stemming from the same claim is still pending.

And police reports newly filed in that case reveal