CARMEL, Ind. (WRTV) -- Administrators of a Carmel Catholic school and the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana face a lawsuit from a family that says its son was repeatedly harassed sexually, assaulted and threatened, but nothing was done.
A Noblesville law firm, Metzger Rosta, said a news release that the lawsuit, filed in Hamilton Superior Court 2. does not name the family to protect the identity of the minor child.
In addition to the diocese, the lawsuit was filed against the superintendent of the diocese's schools, Trudy Schouten Young: the Rev. Richard Doerr, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church and School; the school principal, Tim Fletcher; and the assistant principal, Deanna Cotter.
The release said the harassment against the family's son began in seventh grade and intensified during his recently finished school year, when it became sexual in nature. The boy has been in the schools from kindergarten to eighth grade, the lawsuit said.
The family says students repeatedly threatened to pull down the boy’s pants, physically attacked him in a locker room, exposed him in front of his gym class of both male and female students, and made graphic threats of sexual violence against his 10-year-old sister.
The release said, "Despite repeated reports from the family, teachers, and the child’s therapists, the complaint alleges, school administrators minimized the conduct as 'boys will be boys,' 'joking around,' and 'horseplay,' imposed no meaningful discipline, and failed to report the incidents to the Indiana Department of Child Services."
Indiana law requires anyone who suspects a child 18 or younger is being abused or neglected to make a report immediately to Child Services.
Max Dryer, director of communications for the diocese, said in an email response, "The diocese is aware that a civil lawsuit has been brought against Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. Diocesan leadership takes seriously the safety and well-being of all our students and their families.
"Because the legal process is ongoing, and out of respect for all parties involved, no additional comments will be made at this time. We ask the community for continued prayers and appreciate their patience as this matter proceeds."
Online court records did not yet show that the case had been filed as of Monday evening.
