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Chicago Priest Reached Out to Suspected Stalker's Family

By DNAinfo Staff on November 26, 2012 5:27pm

 Father Michael Pfleger, pastor of Saint Sabina Church in the South Side Auburn Gresham community, was allegedly stalked by Deerfield resident Lidia Kuznia, 55. The priest reached out to Kuznia's friends and families looking to find out more information about the woman accused of following him, Pfleger said.
Father Michael Pfleger, pastor of Saint Sabina Church in the South Side Auburn Gresham community, was allegedly stalked by Deerfield resident Lidia Kuznia, 55. The priest reached out to Kuznia's friends and families looking to find out more information about the woman accused of following him, Pfleger said.
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Saint Sabina Church

CHICAGO — A South Side priest who was allegedly stalked by a suburban woman said he had been reaching out to the suspect's friends and family for answers.

Rev. Michael Pfleger, a priest at St. Sabina Church in Auburn Gresham, was allegedly stalked by Lidia Kuzniar multiple times in the past year, prosecutors said last week.

Kuzniar, 55, of Deerfield, was arrested three times for reportedly stalking Pfleger, said Andy Conklin, spokesman for the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

"The sad thing about Lidia Kuzniar is the fact that there's a mental issue there," Rev. Michael Pfleger said during an unrelated press conference.

The priest said he tried to contact Kuzniar's friends and family to find out more about the woman accused of following him, such as if the woman suffered from a mental illness.

Kuzniar was arrested Nov. 8 for trespassing and Nov. 11 for trespassing and misdemeanor stalking, Conklin said. Then she was arrested on Nov. 18 and charged with felony stalking, Conklin said.

It's been a particularly rough few weeks for Pfleger, who helped counsel man accused of fatally stabbing a neighbor allegedly in the way of a domestic dispute.