Priest accused of child abuse dies

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SOMERVILLE, Mass., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts priest who was charged for alleged repeated sexual assaults on a child who was a former parishioner has died, officials said.

The Rev. Paul LaCharite, formerly of St. James Episcopal Church in Somerville, died of an apparent drug overdose Wednesday night, the Boston Herald reported.

"This is an unspeakable tragedy," said David Meier, a lawyer for LaCharite. "Father Paul LaCharite was truly an innocent man who was driven to the depths of despair by a false accusation."

LaCharite was charged with one count of assault to rape a child, and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office said.

LaCharite pleaded not guilty to the charges against him when he was arraigned on Sept. 10, The Boston Globe reported.

Prosecutors alleged that the first assault happened when the former parishioner was a boy, 7 or 8 years old, and continued until 2005.