Elmo Puppeteer Accused of Underage Relationship

Kevin Clash, the voice and puppeteer of Elmo on the children's television show “Sesame Street,” has taken a leave of absence amid an unsubstantiated claim that he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy.

Mr. Clash said the relationship started only after the person, now 23 years old, was over the age of 18. Mr. Clash told TMZ, which reported the accusation early Monday morning, that the relationship was “between two consenting adults” and he added, “I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not.”

Mr. Clash's leave of absence from “Sesame Street” started on Sunday, once it was clear that the accusations were going to become public, according to an executive at Sesame Workshop, which produces the show.

“Kevin insists that the allegation of underage conduct is false and defamatory and he is taking actions to protect his reputation. We have granted him a leave of absence to do so,” Sesame Workshop sai d in a statement.

No charges have been filed against Mr. Clash.

Sesame Workshop said it received a “communication” about the alleged underage relationship from the 23-year-old in June.

“We took the allegation very seriously and took immediate action,” the organization said in its statement. “We met with the accuser twice and had repeated communications with him. We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation. We also conducted a thorough investigation and found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated.”

The organization said Mr. Clash had “exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding Internet usage,” and was disciplined accordingly.

Mr. Clash has been helping to identity other puppeteers who can play Elmo, and some of them will now fill in for him, according to a Sesame Workshop executive, who said that production on “Sesame Street” will go forward as planned.

Mr. Clash, 52, was the star of the 2011 documentary “Being Elmo.” He has played Elmo for more than two decades.