Disgraced Waterford Priest Suffers Severe Stroke

Fr. Dennis Carey, the former head pastor of Waterford’s St. Paul’s Church who was arrested this summer for first-degree possession of child pornography, recently had a severe stroke, according to Fr. Joseph Whittel.

Whittel said the stroke happened last Thursday morning and Carey was still in Backus Hospital. He had no further details. 

Carey was expected to appear in court on Monday to either accept a deal by the state or face a trial. Carey was arrested in June after police discovered more than 300 files of child pornography on computers he owned inside the rectory of the church.

Patch emailed New London Superior Court about Carey’s stroke, but they said Carey’s attorney Ron Stevens had yet to contact them about it. It is unknown if Carey will appear in court on Monday, or perhaps more likely, when his court appearance will be rescheduled.

Carey was originally expected to appear in court on April 15, but the judge presiding over the case, Susan B. Handy, called out sick. Whittel became the head pastor of St. Paul’s following Carey’s arrest.