Perkiomen School, headmaster sued over alleged sexual abuse on campus
A Philadelphia-area private school and its headmaster are facing a lawsuit centered around allegations that a young child was sexually abused by an older child on the school's campus.
The lawsuit against the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania was filed by the wife of one of the school's faculty members under the name Jane Doe, attorneys for the family said.
The woman said her 7-year-old son was abused by a 12-year-old around Feb. 3, 2024, but that multiple incidents occurred before then. The older child is the son of another staff member at the school, according to the suit.
The school and Head of School Mark A. Devey are alleged to have been negligent and to have failed to maintain a safe campus where the 12-year-old was able to roam around. The older child at some points had a swipe card allowing access to buildings, the suit alleges, and says other buildings had faulty locks and key card swipe points.
The anonymous woman has alleged that she walked in on the boys in a state of undress in an equipment room that was supposed to have been locked. After that, she learned from her son that there were previous incidences of alleged abuse by the 12-year-old, according to the suit.
According to the complaint, though the 7-year-old's recollections of abuse were reported to Upper Perkiomen police, the older child was allowed to remain on campus, and was visible in pictures attending his father's sporting events.
Devey responded in a statement saying the school was aware of the suit but could not comment.
"Reports indicate the lawsuit makes claims about alleged interactions occurring on the school's campus last winter between non-students that, upon learning, we/the school reported to the authorities, consistent with our mandated reporter requirements," Devey's statement read in part.
"Due to the sensitivity of the matters involved and our duty to protect the privacy of minors, it would be inappropriate to provide additional details or comment further at this time. The school will continue to act in the best interest of members of our entire community, with an eye toward safety, belonging and respect."
The civil complaint states the plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $50,000.