Girl Says Christian School Coach Raped Her

FORT LAUDERDALE (CN) - A student at a Christian school claims her track coach raped her in his hotel room at an away meet - and that she's not his only victim.

The girl's father, N.P., sued First Baptist Church of Hollywood dba The Hollywood Christian Academy, in Broward County Court.

The girl is referred to in the complaint as Minor.

The girl says she went to the track coach Raymond Holmes' hotel room when the team was competing in Orlando, because she had questions about the competition.

"Other track participants, teammates and students were initially present in Coach Holmes' room, meeting with Coach Holmes," the complaint states.

"Coach Holmes then asked all team members to vacate his hotel room, but instructed Minor to stay behind.

"After everyone left, Coast Holmes pushed Minor onto the hotel room bed and raped her."

The girl and her father say the Christian Academy knew when it hired Holmes that he "had had trouble with law enforcement. ... At the time of Raymond Holmes' hiring, defendant Academy knew of an incident involving Coach Holmes in November 2003, with allegations similar to Raymond Holmes' attack on Minor. These events involving Raymond Holmes happened at a previous school Holmes had worked as a coach."

The complaint continues: "At the time Coach Holmes was hired, the principal of defendant Academy, Mr. Carter Edwards, knew of the previous November 4, 2003 arrest of Coach Raymond Holmes, for inappropriate contact with a student, yet hired him anyway.

"Moreover, prior to March 13, 2010, when Coach Raymond Holmes raped Minor, Coach Holmes was also engaging in sexual activity with two (2) other students of defendant Academy, a fact known or a fact that should have been known to the defendant Academy. Yet, nothing was done by defendant Academy to intercede and stop the criminal behavior of defendant Academy employee, Raymond Holmes."

The girl and her father add: "Defendant Academy failed to follow its own policies in the hiring of Raymond Holmes by failing to do an adequate background check on Raymond Holmes. The policy in place at the time for defendant Academy should have precluded the hiring of Raymond Holmes."

Neither Holmes nor the school principal are named as defendants.

The family seeks damages for employer liability, negligent hiring, and negligent retention and supervision.

They are represented by Douglas Bates, of Plantation.

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