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Lakeland, FL - Lakeland High School Teacher Charged for Possession of Child Pornography

Lakeland High School Teacher Charged For Child Pornography Possession
Published: November 23, 2020
By: Janean Cuffee
Last Updated on December 3, 2020

Lakeland High School Teacher Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

According to the NY Post, a Lakeland High School teacher, soccer coach, and church youth leader has been charged with child pornography possession.

Shawn Fitzgerald, 46-years-old, is a teacher for special needs students at the high school, coaches boys soccer, and is the youth director at First United Methodist Church in Bartow. The school and the church released statements claiming they were unaware and are shocked.

Fitzgerald faces 408 counts for possession. He allegedly had hundred of illegal images on his phone of children involved in sexual activity. The photos show children and infants as young as ten months old being sexually abused by adults and engaging in acts with other kids. It is not assumed that Fitzgerald produced the images himself.

Fitzgerald is being held on 2 million dollar bail in Polk County Jail.

Michael Haggard Florida Lawyer
Hello, I’m attorney Michael Haggard. I am licensed to practice law in Florida. If you or a loved one needs legal assistance, I’d be happy to speak with you. Call me on the number below. It costs nothing, and it would be my honor to help you.
(888) 997-3792

Legal Options of Victims Abused by a Teacher

Attorney contributor Michael Haggard represents victims sexually abused by a teacher. Below, Michael provides insight into the legal rights of victims sexually abused by a teacher.

“Schools are obligated to provide a safe environment for their students and surround them with trustworthy staff. Unfortunately, sometimes teachers are unknown predators of enrolled students or other children. These predators use their positions of power to exploit students. Schools must do everything in their power to prevent predators from being employed at their schools and protect students from sexual abuse.”

“If a victim has been sexually assaulted at school, they should acquire the services of an experienced sexual assault attorney. They must ask if the school did their best to prevent the abuse; if not, they may be considered negligent. Security measures include security cameras and background checks, but there are many more. If a school doesn’t implement preventative measures for its students, it may be considered negligent. In cases of negligence, victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit.”

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About the Author
Janean Cuffee
About Janean Cuffee
Editor: Janean is an NYU Applied Psychology major with a double minor in history and sociology. As a NY native, she focuses on highlighting important legal news regarding violence, assaults, and social justice cases. Contact Janean: Janean@legalherald.com This article was fact checked prior to publishing by this author to ensure compliance with our rigorous editorial standards. We will only use authoritative sources. Our values compel us to provide only trustworthy information. If you find an error, please contact us.
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