by Catholic News Service
AUGSBURG, Germany -- Citing a lack of evidence, prosecutors said they ended an investigation into alleged sexual abuse by a German bishop whose resignation was accepted by the Vatican May 8.
The investigation of Bishop Walter Mixa, who admitted hitting children but denied sexually abusing them, ended May 14, according to the Deutsche Press-Agentur news agency.
"Suspicion of a crime of sexual abuse could not be established," said state attorney Helmut Walter of Ingolstadt in Bavaria.
A day before the Vatican accepted Bishop Mixa's resignation, the Augsburg Diocese confirmed media reports that it had informed the state attorney about accusations relating to sexual abuse by the prelate during his time as bishop of Eichstaat from 1996 to 2005. According to those reports, the incidents involved a boy.
Bishop Mixa's lawyer denied the abuse accusations and said the bishop had cooperated with prosecutors.
On April 21, Bishop Mixa submitted his resignation after accusations that he hit children during his time as priest in charge of a children's home near Augsburg. He originally denied the charges, then admitted that he may have "boxed the ears" of children.
A special prosecutor investigating the case detailed the physical abuse allegations against the bishop.
Sebastian Knott, the prosecutor, wrote in his report that Bishop Mixa hit the children, the news agency reported.
The report included statements from victims saying they had been brutally punched, hit with sticks and in one case even beaten with a belt.
Knott also confirmed financial irregularities at the children's home around the same time as the abuse allegations. No other details of the irregularities were available.
