The priest elopes with student to Italy. Now they are married
6:43 PM EST, November 22, 2023
Alexander Crow, formerly a Roman Catholic clergyman in Mobile County, Alabama, had been under investigation by the local archdiocese for eloping to Europe with a high school student. Now, the 30-year-old has married the recently turned 18-year-old graduate of McGill-Toolen High School, laid aside his collar, and returned to the US.
The authorities sought the priest when it came to light that he was having an affair with a young parishioner - also his student at the school where he worked. As reported by "The Guardian", following the couple's dash to Europe, the Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile excommunicated Crow, who had specialized in exorcisms, from the clergy. Church authorities characterized his actions as unfit for a priest. Consequently, Thomas Rodi, the Archbishop of Mobile, requested Crow’s permanent removal from the clergy.
Parents of the teenager, who attended McGill-Toolen School, where Crow volunteered, were oblivious to their daughter's disappearance. Outraged, they lodged a complaint against Crow with the sheriff's office of Mobile County. They accused him - a clergyman who worked with the youth - of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Priest and student's elopement to Italy
However, as of November, the local district attorney's office has exonerated the former clergyman. Now, the former priest and his new wife, the former student, have returned to the US. Upon interviewing the girl, prosecutors concluded that no charges would be filed against the former clergyman.
The teenager did not answer any questions from investigators nor did she reveal any details of her journey with Crow. Yet, she did not appear to be a victim. "She appeared healthy and was assuring us that she was safe. We do not have sufficient evidence to press charges for a crime at this stage. Therefore, we have closed the investigation," stated the prosecutor's office.
Investigators discovered a Valentine's Day letter that Crow sent to the girl when she was only 17. The minimum legal age for marriage in Alabama is 16 years old.
