SEATTLE -- The families of two preschoolers allegedly sexually assaulted by a 14-year-old at a West Seattle YMCA filed a lawsuit in late January in King County Superior Court claiming the West Seattle YMCA neglected to provide proper monitoring of a preschool program, creating a dangerous situation that

allowed sexual assault to occur.

   

The suit alleges that YMCA supervisors left preschool-aged children under

the supervision of a 14-year-old, violating state law and YMCA policies that

require adults to supervise preschool children at all times.

   

"The YMCA had an affirmative responsibility to ensure adults supervised

children," said Sim Osborn, the attorney representing the plaintiffs. "This

grave mistake resulted in an irrevocable and traumatic sexual experience that

will undoubtedly scar these children for life."

   

Earlier in January the teen was sentenced to three years in detention for

rape and molestation charges stemming from incidents at the West Seattle YMCA

Preschool and Day Care Program, where the 3- and 5-year-old children were

molested, according to court papers.  The teenager also admitted to sexually

abusing as many as eight young children at the YMCA, and several others

elsewhere, according to court documents.

   

According to the victims' parents, who requested anonymity to protect

their children, the molestation has profoundly affected the preschoolers,

causing them to act out in inappropriate ways and forcing them to seek medical

treatment and counseling.

   

"Until you see it, you can't imagine how much something like this can

damage a child.  A child doesn't have the ability to put this behind him the

same way an adult could.  This will affect him for the rest of his life," said

the father of one of the victims.  "We want to make sure the YMCA enforces its

policies so the same thing doesn't happen to any other children."

   

The abuse allegedly occurred during the children's naptime when YMCA staff

repeatedly left the teen unsupervised.  Other preschoolers from the West

Seattle YMCA may have been abused as well, according to court documents.

   

"The first responsibility of day care or preschool is to protect and keep

children safe," Osborn said.  "The parents trusted their most precious

treasure, their children, to the YMCA because they thought the YMCA would

protect them and keep them safe.  Allowing a teenager to molest children

during nap time is not protecting or keeping the children safe."

   

The suit seeks an unspecified amount of damages to be determined by the

court.  The parents and the children have not been named in court papers in

order to protect the children's privacy.

 

The attorneys at Osborn Machler represent plaintiffs in personal injury,

products liability, and professional malpractice cases.   

 

Source: Osborn Machler