Ex-Stripper: Priest Fathered My Baby

(CBS)  A woman who worked as a stripper at a club in Miami is suing her on-again-off-again boyfriend, a Catholic priest she says is the father of her nine-month-old daughter. She also contends he physically abused her, and that she was married when he met her.

Beatrice Hernandez, 42, wants child support from Father David Dueppen, also 42. Hernandez has also filed for a restraining order against Dueppen, asserting he choked her when they argued over paternity and child support.

The allegations could prove to be another black eye for the archdiocese for which popular Miami television priest Alberto Cutié worked. In May, he admitted having had an affair with a woman, whom he quickly married.

Dueppen once served at the same Miami Beach parish as Cutié, and is now on leave from his associate priest position at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Pembroke Pines, Fla., according to The Miami Herald, which says Hernandez produced DNA tests results naming Dueppen as the child's father.

The former Miami-Dade middle-school teacher became a priest 10 years ago, the Herald says, adding Dueppen told the newspaper his lawyer advised him not to comment. But, says the Herald, Dueppen did claim Hernandez's version of events is "going to have a lot of inaccuracies."

Hernandez alleges she met Dueppen seven years ago while she was on the job - at a Miami strip club called Porky's.

"It was a Sunday," Hernandez told CBS News. "I was on stage, and he walked in."

She says he spent $1,800 on her in the VIP room that night.

Soon, they were living together.

"I was still married; in fact, he paid for my divorce!" Hernandez says.

But their strange love story soon turned sour.

Hernandez claims Dueppen urged her to exorcise her demons with sex -- at swingers' clubs.

The two separated in 2005. She sued the church, and the archdiocese it settled the suit, reportedly for $100,000.

Hernandez returned to stripping. And, she says, Dueppen returned to her.

In April 2008, she became pregnant. First, says Hernandez, he denied paternity, then demanded she give up the child for adoption. Then, she contends, he turned violent.

"I thought he was really going to take my tongue out," she told CBS News. "He got very violent with me ... choking me."

Hernandez told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith, "It was something very special, very incredible what was going on in that moment," when she and Dueppen first met. "The way he was expressing himself to me, it was completely something completely different from where I was."

Eventually, she admitted to Smith, she fell in love with Dueppen.

After their separation and reconciliation, when she got pregnant, "He doesn't like that at all," Hernandez says. "He wants to hide the baby; he doesn't want nobody to know about this at all."

Her lawyer, Michael Feiler, told Smith he's "seen the paternity results, and they will certainly be a matter of public report very shortly. I don't think there's going to be any question that Father Dueppen is the father of Marilyn Hernandez (Beatrice's daughter)."

Feiler says the archdiocese hasn't responded "whatsoever" to Hernandez about the latest developments. "We're going to see them in court (later this week), and we'll see where things go from there."

[Space_Rat]

That is one fugly woman. How did she get a job as a stripper? That must be one low-class place.

Looks like this priest has the same taste in ho's as Jimmy Swaggert.

What were these guys thinking!

[OmahaMomof2]

I'm guessing the guys going to the strip club aren't looking at her face.

[soultorqbutterfly]

Can we expect anything less from the media? Honestly?!? They sensationalize everything!
I just want to say as far as Beatrice and the choices she has made... who are we to judge? Calling her a "ho" does not solve anything! Everyone makes mistakes and wrong choices for their lives at some point... she is not living that life now and is trying to take care of her daughter! No, it should not have been handled the way it was, but she is trying to stand up for herself and her child! It is a sad thing that has happened all around! She was actually a childhood friend and we lost touch years and years ago... I would love to get in touch with her again and give her some support! I pray the priest is getting the help he needs as well! It is true that hurting people hurt people... We all need someone to believe in us and love us through all our faults! She even said that she never had anyone treat her (in the begining) the way he treated her... That right there shows that she has lived a hard life and never was shown true love... Even though that was a twisted relationship, it was the closest thing to love she ever felt.

[SoFla11]

Hahaha... Father David used to teach at my high school.

[tom_gwynn]

I agree this is a child support case. She is an adult woman and made her choices. Besides, all other things being equal, I'd rather these priests be making little children rather than abusing them.

[Zowwyy]

This has nothing to do with the church so stop trying to squeeze more $$$ out of them... THEY ALREADY paid the ho off. This is a simple child support case.

[RCC_Soldaten]

I guess 'Bashing the Catholic Church' is still in fashion especially in the liberal media.

[kitkatwitzy]

I couldn't believe this story was even put into the airwaves. She was a Stripper in Miami. She sued the church for $100,000.00 or more. Making it to National News, she was a Stripper in Miami called Porky's, why did this get any air time. I thought this was the stupidest story and her rolling eyes just ridiculous. You are a grown adult take responsability for your actions and she was married and this priest paid for her Divorce, BOO HOO. My husband and I shook our head. It was just a waste of air time. I would love to hear what the Priest has to say. This story was absolutely absurd and disappointing that it got any air time.