News Update

Special needs student sexually assaulted at school wins $26 million jury verdict

 

A jury in Southern California has awarded a special-needs student $ 26 million after suffering a sexual assault by three male classmates at school, the Whittier Daily News reported Thursday.

The verdict in Los Angeles County Superior Court follows a 2018 lawsuit accusing the Pasadena Unified School District of negligence and having dangerous conditions at the Focus Point Academy, the newspaper reported.

The plaintiff was an 11-year-old student in the special-education program for emotionally disturbed children when a teacher’s aide left her unsupervised on May 17, 2016, the lawsuit charged.

Three male classmates dragged her behind a building. One of the attackers yelled out “It’s rape time,” the newspaper reported.

The attackers were later charged with lewd acts with a child under 14 years of age and other crimes, the newspaper reported.

At trial, lawyers for Pasadena Unified argued the girl was not entitled to monetary damages from the school district, the plaintiff’s attorneys said in a statement.

The jury ultimately disagreed, awarding the girl $12.5 million and $13.5 million, respectively, for past and future pain and suffering.

“This verdict demonstrates that all children, regardless of their disabilities, deserve to be protected,” David Rudorfer, an attorney for the plaintiff said Wednesday.


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