Jury awards $26M to special-needs student assaulted at school

A girl with special needs who was sexually assaulted at school when she was 11 years old received a $26 million judgment from a Southern California jury on Tuesday.

The alleged victim, now 17 and identified only as Jane Doe, sued Pasadena Unified School District for negligence in connection with the May 17, 2016, assault.

The lawsuit said three boys at Focus Point Academy attacked the girl when a teacher’s back was turned. Doe said one of the kids announced, “It’s rape time” after realizing they were alone, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Jane Doe said the boys digitally penetrated her and also stuck a paper clip in her vagina, according to the Orange County Register.

The lawsuit said Pasadena’s school district was responsible for the incident because the children were supposed to be under constant supervision.

The girl was severely traumatized and later institutionalized, her attorneys said in a statement.

Defense attorneys argued that during the attack, teachers were focused on a “pressing emergency” with another student having a “meltdown,” the L.A. Times reported.

But the jury was not swayed and awarded the girl $26 million — $12.5 million for past damages and $13.5 million for future damages.

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

The three alleged attackers went through juvenile criminal cases, according to the Orange County Register. The files remained sealed through the civil trial.

With News Wire Services