LAUSD Child Sexual Abuse Case Settlement
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) child sexual abuse case settlement of almost $20 million according to recent news reports. The settlement comes after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of 14 young victims of alleged child sexual abuse. The victims reported the abuse at the hands of a teaching assistant in the computer lab at Oxnard Elementary School in North Hollywood. The abuse was reported in 2019, and the teacher was arrested on charges the same year.
For assistance with taking legal action after a child sexual abuse incident, please connect with the California child sexual abuse attorney at Beck Law P.C.
14 Alleged Victims
Charges were filed due to the allegations of sexual abuse by six victims. The victims were students aged 10 or 11 at the time of the incidents. The victims claim that the perpetrator touched them inappropriately while at school. Apparently, additional victims have come forward since that time. The lawsuit against the teacher’s aide, Lino Cabrera, and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was filed on behalf of 14 victims of alleged sexual abuse. The abuse happened between September 2016 and May 2019.
What Happened to the Victims in the LAUSD Child Sexual Abuse Case?
According to reports, the victims stated that Cabrera touched them inappropriately. One girl said she told him to stop, and he did. The other girls were molested by Cabrera, some numerous times while they attended the school. Child sexual abuse is a form of child molestation. In situations such as these, teachers are in a position of power, and children trust them. The perpetrator may make time to be alone with a child so they can molest the student. In these cases, the alleged molestation happened at school, and therefore, the LAUSD is also named in the lawsuit.
Teacher’s Aide Criminally Charged
Lino Cabrera was a teacher’s aide at Oxnard Elementary School when the alleged abuse occurred. The police charged Cabrera in 2019 with one count of continuous sexual abuse and five counts of lewd acts on a child. In 2020, Cabrera pleaded no contest to one felony count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, no contest to one felony count of a lewd act upon a child under the age of 14, and no contest to four misdemeanor counts of child molestation. He got a sentence of 8 years in prison and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
LAUSD Agrees to Child Sexual Abuse Case Settlement
The victims in this case filed a lawsuit that named the LAUSD. The school district has the requirement to ensure the safety and welfare of students in their care. The district should have known that the teacher’s aide was dangerous. Further, if students report sexual abuse, they are required to report it. They may also take steps based on their own internal procedures. In this case, the school failed to protect students. Had they taken action at the time, they may have prevented child sexual abuse on their premises.
If you were the victim of child sexual abuse, you may be owed compensation from the responsible parties. To learn more, contact our California child sexual abuse lawyer at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 to discuss your case in a confidential consultation.
Los Angeles – San Francisco – San Diego – Orange County – Lassen County – Sonoma County – Mendocino County
