Lawsuits filed against Fall River Diocese, Freetown-Lakeville School District, alleging they could have stopped rapes, molestations of girl by schoolteacher, CCD instructor
Two lawsuits have been filed by a lawyer on behalf of his client in relation to upsetting events that occurred nearby.
A 14-year-old girl in the area was sexually attacked and raped multiple times by a guy who was both her middle school teacher and the CCD instructor at her church, according to attorney Carmen Durso, who feels that adults had the opportunity to step in and stop the abuse.
Despite knowing that something was seriously amiss, the adults in both locations did nothing! She imprisoned her offender when she was a young adult. She is currently suing those who had the power to prevent it.
Gilbert Hernandez, 58, a former Sunday school teacher and Freetown substitute teacher, was sentenced to 30 to 40 years in state prison in April of this year. He will also serve 10 years of supervised probation.
Hernandez was acquainted with the victim because she was close to his son, and Hernandez taught Sunday school at a Freetown church and served as a substitute teacher in the Freetown-Lakeville schools.
All of the rapes and molestations took place in the municipalities of Freetown, Raynham, Taunton, and Lakeville between February and July of 2018.
The victim in this instance told the court during the sentencing hearing how the defendant’s manipulations caused her to lose many of her friends and how her childhood was taken away from her. She bravely described before the court the effects of the ongoing assault, including how she frequently wakes up to vomit from PTSD flashbacks and had regular nightmares.
Durso filed two lawsuits on the victim’s behalf on Wednesday.
Hernandez and the Freetown Lakeville Regional School District are the targets of one lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, after learning of Hernandez’s illegal behavior, the district failed to stop Hernandez from sexually harassing, assaulting, and raping the victim or to shield her from such attacks in the future. Additionally, it claims that the district was required to take reasonable precautions while recruiting, educating, managing, and/or keeping Middle School administrators and teachers.
The Fall River Diocese, the CCD program instructors at St. John Neumann Parish, the parish pastor, and Hernandez are all named in the second complaint. It claims that Hernandez was hired, trained, supervised, and/or retained by the Diocese, which had an obligation to use reasonable care. Additionally, according to the complaint, the Diocese was required to take reasonable precautions while employing, educating, managing, and/or keeping the priest and CCD teachers. The pastor and professors are accused in the lawsuit of repeatedly witnessing Hernandez’s persistent inappropriate and boundary-crossing actions.
In addition to interest, expenses, and legal fees, the cases seek damages in an amount that is reasonable, fair, and sufficient for the harm and losses incurred as well as the anguish and suffering endured.
