Attorneys for minor victim file suit in Superior Court, charging district with negligence in counselor sex abuse case.
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Attorneys for a Golden Valley High
School student who was the victim of sexual abuse
filed suit in Superior Court today against former guidance counselor Roselyn
Hubbell, the school and the William S.
Hart High School
District.
Newport Beach Attorney Vince W. Finaldi of the firm Manly & Stewart
filed the complaint, which accuses the district of 11 counts, including
negligence, negligent supervision, negligent hiring/retention, negligent
failure to warn, train or educate, constructive fraud, intentional infliction
of emotional distress, sexual battery, assault, sexual harassment, gender
violence and unfair business practices.
The suit alleges that Hubbell used her position of authority and trust to
sexually harass, molest and abuse the victim, who was 14 years old at the time
of the incident and unable to give his consent to alleged sexual activities.
The suit further contends that the district and school had previous
knowledge of Hubbell’s involvement in unlawful sexually-related conduct with
minors in the past and concealed that knowledge to maintain the district’s
reputation.
Attorneys claim that the district should have known that Hubbell would
commit wrongful sexual acts with minors and that there was a pattern of hiring
staff with questionable backgrounds.
“This belief is founded on the fact that personnel and/or school records and
other records of Defendants reflect numerous incidents of inappropriate sexual
contact and conduct with minors by teachers, advisors, coaches, staff,
counselors, employees, assistants, faculty members and others, including
incidents involving Hubbell.”
The alleged abuse of the victim took place between January and September
2007 on the Golden Valley High
School campus, in Hubbell’s vehicle and various
other locations in Los Angeles County.
The suit also alleges that Hubbell forced the victim to smoke marijuana during
some of the sexual encounters.
The suit alleges that even after the district was put on notice that there
was a problem, they failed to do anything to stop Hubbell or take precautions
to protect any other possible victims. Several parts of the lawsuit point to a
conspiracy on the district’s part to conceal the problem and look the other
way, despite emotional distress and damage to the victim.