6 years, 2 months ago by Scott Hardy
Kim Jensen claims her daughter allowed to leave campus, was later assaulted
A lawsuit's been filed in Federal court against Chaddock, saying it was negligent in allowing a 15-year old developmentally disabled girl to be snuck out of the facility, who was later drugged, beaten and sexually assaulted at a party. Scott Hardy has more.
( Audio 2:00 )
The suit was filed Wednesday morning in US District Court in Chicago by the girl's mother, Kim Jensen. She claims her adopted daughter, identified as KJ, walked out the front door of their cottage late last August with two other girls and was taken to a party at a home in the 400 block of Spruce, where the alleged assault happened. After being returned to Chaddock, KJ was first taken to Blessing Hospital, then to St. Louis Children's Hospital. They found that KJ had been sexually assaulted, and samples for a rape kit were taken. Jensen says that KJ was discharged from the school a month after the alleged assault, with no warning. Jensen's attorney, Shawn Collins, says the two other girls had been to the home on Spruce several weeks before, were also sexually assaulted there, and that Chaddock knew it.
( Shawn Collins :15 )
Collins alleged that Quincy police have been called to Chaddock by the staff about runaway students over 200 times in 2016 and 2017. The suit also claims Chaddock isn't cooperating with police in their investigation of the alleged assault. Collins says the school turned down a QPD request to interview the other two girls. He adds that the QPD is waiting on the rape kit from the Illinois State Police Crime Lab. Jensen says she doesn't want this to happen to other children.
( Kim Jensen :14 )
The suit is seeking the release of KJ's medical and educational records from Chaddock, along with what Collins termed "appropriate compensation" for her medical costs. In response to the suit, Chaddock President and CEO Debbie Reed said in a statement “Chaddock believes the allegations being made by Kim Jensen are unfounded." Reed says Chaddock "denies the allegations and looks forward to presenting their defense in court". They'll have 30 days to respond. The lawsuit is available to read below.
