Was laxity not readily apparent in this child sexual abuse case?
The sad saga now being recounted in some national media outlets regarding the sexual abuse of young children is typical for its sketching of details that all too commonly feature in such cases
There was an adult authority figure, namely, a school bus helper. That individual — a 38-year-old male — had ready access to his victims, who unquestionably comprised the most vulnerable of all humans — small children with special needs.
The story being recounted took place in Maryland, but could just as easily have occurred in California or another state, of course. In fact, it frequently does — and, tragically, recurrently so.
The aide has been arrested and criminally charged, with a top-tier official from the school district dutifully weighing in recently with lamentations concerning the crimes. That executive noted he was “sickened and angry that this individual may have preyed upon our students.”
That statement likely rings hollow for some people, who might reasonably question whether a few words of concern should isolate the school district from liability in the matter.
Here’s why: The local police district (and, thus, presumably the district as well) was notified of questionable conduct and incidents by the bus driver months prior to any legal action being taken against the aide. Reportedly, and as noted by the father of one special-needs child, he was not informed of an incident that took place in November of last year until this past August.
We noted in a September 30 blog post that civil claims can often reach out and assess shared liability in wrongdoing in a broader and more effective manner than is the case with a criminal complaint.
The goal in any case involving the sexual assault of a child is the full identification of all wrongdoers, appropriate punishment and deterrence, and an outcome that optimally promotes healing and a just outcome for the victim.
Serving clients throughout the Greater Los Angeles and Southern California area, we represent victims in a variety of civil litigation cases. If you or a loved one has been injured, turn to an experienced Los Angeles personal injury or sexual assault lawyer.
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