Man who accused Elmo puppeteer of teen sex recants

NEW YORK (AP) - A man who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of having sex with him when he was a teenage boy has recanted his story.

In a surprising turnabout on Tuesday, the man described his sexual relationship with Clash as adult and consensual.

Clash responded with a statement of his own, saying he is “relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest.” The man, who has not identified himself, released his statement through the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, law firm Andreozzi & Associates.

Sesame Workshop, which produces Sesame Street, soon followed up by saying, “We are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode.”