Teacher Just Watched Molester, Dad Says

CHICAGO (CN) - A teacher saw a child molester lead a girl off school grounds but just took photos of it and didn't call police until hours later, the girl's father claims in court.

John Doe sued the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of his 11-year-old daughter, in Cook County Court.

His daughter "was an 11-year-old elementary school student at [John W.] Cook [Elementary] School who was on her way to school on May 11, 2012 when she was confronted by an unknown predator," the complaint states.

A teacher inside the school building "noticed that it was the minor plaintiff and called to her from her classroom window. The teacher could see that the minor plaintiff was with an unknown adult who was leading her away from the school property," the father says.

He claims the teacher "took three photos from her window of the minor plaintiff and her abductor."

But "at the time of the incident in question, the teacher did not call the school security, did not call the Chicago Police Department, did not call the principal of the school, did not contact any law enforcement personnel and waited until nearly 5 o'clock in the late afternoon before reporting the matter to the parents or guardian of the minor plaintiff," the father says.

"The minor plaintiff was walked by the unknown adult past the school to an unknown location where he raped and sexually molested the minor plaintiff.

"The defendant, Chicago Board of Education, owed a higher duty of care to the minor plaintiff to protect her from injury from portal to portal and had a duty to prevent the minor plaintiff from leaving school grounds with an unknown adult after having notice and being aware of the dangerous situation that the minor plaintiff was confronted with that school day."

The teacher is not identified by name in the 4-page complaint.

Doe and his daughter seek damages for willful and wanton conduct.

They are represented by Jeffrey Deutschman.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit