Lawyers, Parents Claim New Evidence Of An LAUSD Cover-Up
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An attorney representing students who were molested say they have evidence the Los Angeles Unified School District were told about the sexual abuse, but did nothing about the allegations.
"The school district, John Deasy and all the big shots in this building failed to protect the children and covered up child abuse when it occurs," attorney Luis Carrillo said. "We caught them with a smoking gun now."
The allegations concern former fourth grade teacher Robert Pimentel, who was arrested in January on suspicion of abusing 20 children at George De La Torre Elementary School in Wilmington. The Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation into Pimentel in March of 2012 when parents reported their children had been touched inappropriately by Pimentel.
According to Carrillo, in October 2009, at least one parent told district officials that Pimentel inappropriately touched her daughter while teaching at the school. The attorney says the district did not file a report or notify police of the incident.
"We can confirm that there was a parent meeting in 2009," the district's General Counsel David Holmquist said. "I can't get into the particulars of that particular meeting now because of the ongoing criminal and liability investigations."
Holmquist says all district files, including notes from that 2009 parent meeting, have been turned over to law enforcement investigators.
RELATED STORY: Lawsuit Alleges LAUSD Officials Shielded Teachers Accused Of Abuse
