Special needs student allegedly attacked and raped at Indiana school – 95.3 MNC

The parents of a special needs student who was allegedly sexually assaulted and raped at Hamilton Southeastern Schools filed a lawsuit Tuesday. The family’s lawyers say the 13-year-old student, referred to in the lawsuit as “James,” suffers from autism, a speech impediment and an intellectual disability.

Due to the severity of his disability, James was placed in a completely self-contained special education class at a Hamilton Southeastern School Corporation middle school. His parents were assured that he would receive comprehensive supervision, care and support.

According to the lawyers, the child was forced to perform sexual acts on another student in the toilet of an HSE middle school over ten times between August 2023 and January 2024.

Earlier this year, school counselors contacted the boy’s parents because another student was behaving in a “concerning” manner toward James. When his parents confronted him about it, James became very anxious and upset and said nothing.

After a meeting at school about a field trip about a week later, James allegedly pointed to a school bathroom and told his father that “he was raped and forced to have sex there.” Later that night, James told his parents that he had been “sexually assaulted” at school.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, names Hamilton Southeastern School Corporation as well as Superintendent Patrick Mapes, Principal Crystal Thorpe, Assistant Principal Tige Butts, Teacher Helen Estep, Title IX Coordinator Jimmie Lake and Guidance Counselor Basel Maarouf as defendants.

The lawsuit does not specify which school the abuse is alleged to have occurred at, but records show that Crystal Thorpe was principal of Fishers Junior High School during the 2023-24 school year.