Lawsuit claims CPS staff ignored sexual abuse red flags from security guard

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new lawsuit claims Chicago Public Schools employees failed to take action when a high school student was being sexually abused.

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The victim is now 18 years old. He claimed the sexual assault and abuse he endured happened when he was a 15-year-old sophomore at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy.

Attorneys for the 18-year-old, who is being referred to as John Doe, claimed the teenager was repeatedly sexually assaulted and abused in 2021 by a security guard.

Tywain Carter, 29, pleaded guilty in 2023 to sexually assaulting john doe and sexually abusing another student at the school in 2021.

He was sentenced to more than a decade in prison.

The 18-year-old victim claims the abuse happened on a daily basis in November and December of 2021.

The complaint also claims Carter targeted the teen on his first day at Dunbar as a new transfer student and promised the teen's mother that he would look after him.

The lawsuit claims Carter took the student out of class and brought him to a faculty computer lab for extended periods of time.

Lawyers for the victim said Carter threatened the teen if he told anyone about the abuse.

Six Dunbar staff members were named in the lawsuit; claiming they allegedly knew the security guard's conduct violated CPS policies but ignored it and failed to report it to the Department of Children and Family Services and the Office of Inspector General.

Chicago Public School released the following statement in response:

"The safety and well-being of our staff and students are top priorities and foundational conditions for our school communities.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) actively works to prevent sexual abuse and addresses all reports of abuse thoroughly.
District leaders and staff understand the traumatic impact of sexual abuse and continuously strive to educate leaders, faculty, and students on the topic and the reporting process.
The District does not comment on ongoing litigation."