Lawsuit Alleges Portland Schools Failed to Protect 9-Year-Old from Sexual Assault

A 9-year-old girl and her guardian are suing an Oregon nonprofit organization, Portland Public Schools, and Multnomah County for $9 million, alleging negligence after the girl was allegedly sexually abused by male classmates at school and raped during an after-school program. The lawsuit claims the school and after-school program failed to immediately notify law enforcement, undertook an internal investigation, and neglected to adequately train students about appropriate sexual boundaries and how to report abuse. Portland Public Schools stated it is investigating the allegations, while Multnomah County declined to comment on the pending litigation.