LAS VEGAS — The Clark County School District will pay $1.4 million in damages to a student whose sexual assault was caught on video surveillance.
Documents filed in Clark County District Court allege Variety School employees were “distracted” as a 13-year-old girl was attacked by another student inside the gymnasium, reports 8 News Now. A still photo from video surveillance inside the gym shows five adults on their cell phones or talking to each other as the assault occurred.
According to records, on March 3, 2020, the student, identified as Jane Doe, was “repeatedly sexually molested by a much larger male student during a physical education class.”
“The video showed our client being attacked, being thrown down on the ground, and being attacked sexually,” said attorney Andre Lagomarsino. “In this situation, the incident was on videotape and there wasn’t a lot of dispute as to what happened.”
Lagomarsino said the attacker was deemed a known danger by staff and was to be supervised at all times. Variety is a school for economically disadvantaged students with emotional, behavioral, or mental disabilities. According to Niche.com, it serves approximately 120 students in grades 6-12.
“The culture at the Clark County School District needs to change,” Lagomarsino said. “It needs to be a culture where the student is placed in a safe space. And the primary objective is the student’s safety. Personal, mental, and physical.”
Court records state the victim “suffered physical, emotional, and psychological injuries due to CCSD’s negligence.”
“Difficulty sleeping. Difficulty with intimacy. Difficulty trusting adults,” described Lagomarsino. “Even giving her a hug sometimes, traumatizes her. She went through a period of years without even eating.”
Lagomarsino said his client wanted to take the case to trial but that the settlement would be the best way for her to heal. She now attends a private school that is helping her cope with her trauma, he added.
