On April 18, Amanadelphia sex abuse survivors lawyers Guy D'Andrea and Stewart Ryan of Laffey, Bucci & Kent, LLP announced a lawsuit against Valley Forge Military Academy and College (VFMAC). Kent and Ryan are representing an unnamed client who suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse at the military school in Wayne, PA.
According to the lawsuit, top administrators at VFMAC were aware of the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse occurring on campus, including Board of Trustees President John English. The claim also alleges that there were several other cases of abuse that were covered up by the boarding school.
In a press release from the law firm, Stewart Ryan says that “VFMAC was aware of the worst aspect of the abuse and did nothing to stop it from happening or protect its students from known predators and violent traditions entrenched in the history of the school.”
Anyone with information related to this case or who has been victimized themselves at VFMAC has been asked to contact the Laffey, Bucci & Kent hotline at 855-382-3385.
Guy D'Andrea is a former prosecutor with the Montgomery County Sex Crimes Unit. Today, he works as a civil attorney representing survivors of sexual abuse in civil lawsuits. Here is some perspective from Brian on the legal rights of boarding school abuse victims:
When parents send their children to boarding schools, they’re trusting the school to provide their child with good education and to keep them safe. But sadly, not all boarding schools meet their obligation to keep the students under their watch safe. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are common in these institutions. When a student is abused, it’s important for their family to be aware of their legal options.
Boarding schools that fail to keep their students safe can be held liable for their negligence if the victims and their families decide to file a lawsuit. For instance, if the school was aware that a student was being regularly abused but failed to do anything to stop the abuse, that school could be considered negligent.
If you believe your child has become the victim of sexual abuse, you can learn more about your family’s legal options by speaking with one of our experienced school sexual abuse lawyer in a free consultation.