Manly, Stewart & Finaldi: Victim Of Teacher Convicted Of Sexual Assault Sues Redlands Unified School District And Citrus Valley High School

Former Redlands school district teacher Laura Whitehurst is sued by student who fathered her child

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Feb 06, 2014, 02:14 ET

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Feb. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys representing the victim of convicted child molester and former Redlands school district teacher Laura Whitehurst will announce the filing of a lawsuit against Whitehurst and her employers, the Redlands Unified School District and the Citrus Valley High School.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to inform the victim's family and law enforcement after they knew or had reason to know that Whitehurst had sexually abused the victim and other students.

The victim, who was 16 years old at the time the sexual abuse allegedly occurred, is being represented by the Law Office of Heather Cullen based in Riverside and Manly, Stewart & Finaldi based in Irvine.

The suit alleges that teacher Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst began her sexual relationship with the victim (John BB Doe), who was 16 years old at the time, in the summer of 2012 and the abuse lasted for a year. As a result of this sexual abuse, Whitehurst became impregnated with victim's child, and gave birth to the child in June of 2013.

Attorney Heather Cullen said, "This is one of the most disturbing cases of child sexual abuse ever seen in San Bernardino County. In addition to engaging in a year long sexual relationship with a child that resulted in her pregnancy, defendant Whitehurst actually called the principle to excuse the victim's absences while he was attending OBGYN appointments with her."

John BB Doe's sexual harassment, molestation and abuse is alleged to have occurred as a result not only of Whitehurst's actions, but because of the actions and inactions of the school district and high school, in failing to properly hire, train and supervise Whitehurst and in failing to prevent her from harming John BB Doe.

Attorney John Manly said, "Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst pled guilty to molesting two other boys in addition to our client. Whitehurst had family members employed by the school district who helped conceal her criminal conduct. Citrus Valley High School and Redlands Unified School District share responsibility for this tragedy."

Whitehurst has been recently released from San Bernardino County jail after serving six months of her one-year sentence after pleading guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and two counts of oral copulation of a person under 18.

SOURCE Manly, Stewart & Finaldi