It’s a sad day for folks down at everyone’s favorite address. In a bit of shocking news, according to sources at People, the creator and voice of the much-loved Sesame Street character Elmo, Kevin Clash, has taken a leave of absence from the show due to sexual abuse allegations by a 16-year-old boy.

While no official charges seem to have been filed, the incident in question has been reviewed by Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, which has stated that claims made by the accuser at this juncture are unsupported. Despite the lack of evidence, Workshop officials did make a statement that “Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding Internet usage and he was disciplined.”

In spite of this, Clash has maintained his innocence amidst the charges, calling them slander. While his now 23-year-old accuser states that the abuse began 7 years ago when Clash was 45, the now-52-year-old puppeteer and voice actor maintains that the relationship has always been a legal one between two consensual adults. In a statement to People via his rep, Clash stated “I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was. I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation.”

Clash, who was the subject of the excellent 2011 documentary “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” found success with “Sesame Street” beginning in 1984 and has been an integral member of the team ever since, winning numerous Daytime Emmys for his work as Elmo, as well as serving as a co-executive producer for the series. While he made it clear he has never hid the fact that he is a gay man, he considers it “a personal and private matter.”

No word yet on the identity of Clash’s accuser, but he has apparently already hired one of the law firms involved in the Jerry Sandusky rape case.

Despite the scandal, officials at Sesame Street have assured fans that Elmo will not be removed from future broadcasts.