Christopher Rodriguez, a teacher at one of UCLA’s childcare centers, was arrested and booked on suspicion of child sex abuse. Rodriguez was arrested by the UCLA Police Department. His arrest came after other staff members reported his “concerning behavior.” Reportedly, Rodriguez had “inappropriate contact with a minor student.” This information was released by the university via communication to parents of children whom attend the childcare centers.
According to the university, Rodriguez was a long-time employee. He worked with the Early Care and Education Department, which provides childcare services for the young children of students, faculty, and staff at UCLA. From 1999 to 2001, he worked at the Krieger Center. He then worked at the University Village Early Care and Education Center until 2020. He returned to the Krieger Center until he was put on administrative leave on December 18, 2023.
Christina Christie, dean of the university’s School of Education and Information Studies, stated that Rodriguez was booked on five misdemeanor charges, including false imprisonment, battery, willful cruelty to a child, and two counts of sexual battery.
The university reassured parents that they changed all gate codes to their childcare centers and are giving staff members refresher workshops about their legal duty to report child abuse/neglect. The situation remains under investigation.
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Child Sex Abuse is Common
Unfortunately, child sex abuse is very common in schools and other childcare settings. The service provided by UCLA is supposed to provide students, faculty, and other staff whom are parents with peace of mind while they are taking courses or working at the university. Instead, parents are living a nightmare.
Child sex abuse is an umbrella term that essentially covers all sexual misconduct towards a child – as a child can never consent to sexual contact. This includes but is not limited to the following:
- Groping
- Fondling
- Touching
- Kissing
- Forcing the child to touch the attacker
- Exposing oneself to the child
- Penetrating the child with an object
- Rape and attempted rape
Of course, every situation is different. Victims of child sex abuse can suffer significant harm. Victims can be left with injuries to genitals, injuries to reproductive organs, sexually transmitted infections, and even pregnancy in young female victims that have already started puberty. Other physical injuries may include fractures, lacerations, scrapes, and bruises, for example. In addition to physical injuries, victims of child sex abuse are likely to suffer mental and emotional harm. This may include post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, panic, fear, etc. It is also important to note that victims of child sex abuse can sometimes repress memories – although they may not remember being abused, they may still experience some of the consequences of the abuse many years after the abuse occurred.
Can I Sue for Child Sex Abuse?
Yes, you could sue for child sex abuse. Whether you are a parent suing on behalf of your child or you are a now-adult victim of child sex abuse, you could have the right to sue. In general, victims (and their parents) can sue the establishment – whether it is a university, a school district, etc. This is because these establishments have a duty to ensure that children are safe under their care. During the hiring process, they must subject all prospective hires to background checks to ensure that they do not have concerning history. In addition, they must implement appropriate training, policy, and supervision once hired. Some establishments might even run new background checks every few years on existing employees. Most importantly, it is essential for these establishments to respond effectively to reports of suspected child sex abuse. In the incident above, the university police actually arrested the teacher, placed him on leave, notified parents, and is investigating.
Unfortunately, many establishments fail to do anything to prevent child sex abuse. In fact, some establishments even cover up the abuse. To be able to sue an establishment for child sex abuse, claimants must be able to prove that the establishment breached the duty of care owed – or was negligent – and contributed to the abuse that occurred. For more information about your right to sue, do not hesitate to reach out to the experts here at our law firm immediately. Our team is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and recover the payout that you are owed.
Can I Recover Compensation for My Child Sex Abuse Case?
Yes, you could be eligible to recover compensation for a child sex abuse claim. What compensation is available for recovery? Depending on the details surrounding the claim – and the harm suffered – claimants may be eligible to recover compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Treble damages
- Legal fees
More about treble damages – under California law, victims of child sex abuse may be entitled to treble damages if the abuse that they suffered was covered up. Treble damages essentially means that the total damages are tripled. Because of this, child sex abuse cases that include cover ups tend to be high value.
Considering punitive damages – punitive damages are awarded as punishment towards the defendant in cases of gross negligence. Not all cases are awarded punitive damages.
How much compensation can I recover? What is the value of my claim? These are very common questions; however, it can be difficult to establish case value as every case is different. Some of the factors that affect case value include the specific type of abuse suffered, the severity of the abuse, whether the abuse caused lasting harm, and more. In general, these cases can be worth anywhere from $300,000 to $5 million. When there is a class action lawsuit, results can reach the $20 million mark.
Here at our law firm, our child sex abuse lawyers are ready to fight for your rights and get you the maximum recovery available for your claim. Whether our lawyers have to negotiate a settlement or take your claim to trial to reach a verdict, you can trust that our team is ready to handle your claim effectively and get you the best result available.
How Long Do I Have to File My Child Sex Abuse Claims?
The answer to this question depends on the specific situation. When a government entity is involved, victims of abuse typically only have six months to file their child sex abuse claim. When there is no government entity involved, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of 40 to file their claims (or 5 years from the date of discovery). If you are unsure of the specific time that you have to file your claim, contact us today.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
Was your child harmed while attending childcare at UCLA? If so, you might have the right to file a lawsuit against the university. You could also be eligible to recover a significant amount of compensation. If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you, contact us today. Our lawyers here at the Normandie Law Firm have decades of experience and are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights. We believe in getting all victims of child sex abuse the justice that they deserve!
Our team offers free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our team will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – making sure that you have access to all the information that you need to fight for your rights. These are available through our Zero-Fee Guarantee, so you will never have to worry about paying upfront legal costs. In addition, we work on a strict contingency structure, so our clients will never be required to pay legal fees if their claims are unsuccessful.
If you are ready to speak with our child sex abuse lawyers, contact us today.
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