Sex assault victim files lawsuit against former classmates, school, school officials
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Annie Scholz reports Video by 620wtmj.com
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MEQUON- There are major new developments in a high school sex scandal. A plea agreement has been reached by two former students, plus a new lawsuit filed by the victim.
The two teens accused of having sex with a girl at Homestead High School pleaded no contest to a charge that could mean probation instead of the 40 years in prison they could have gotten.
And now, those students -- Brent Anderson and Deangelo Dantzler -- the district, and top employees are being sued by the girl who says they did something wrong.
A sexual encounter inside the walls of Homestead High School went quickly from the classroom to the courtroom last year. A girl, now 15-year-old, claimed she was assaulted by two seniors last November.
"She was crying and said 'how could you do that' and then she said that they said 'sorry,'" according to her father in an interview last December.
Flash forward 10 months, and the case has taken a different turn.
Ray Dall'Osto is the attorney for Brent Anderson. His client and Dantzler pleaded no contest to child abuse Wednesday -- with a recommendation for probation. It's a big drop from the 40 years they faced if they were convicted on the original charge of second-degree sexual assault.
"The reason for the no contest plea today was because of what we anticipated might be a civil claim," said Dall'Osto. "The law is very harsh on that when you're dealing with someone who's under 18."
While the pleas were happening in criminal court, the girl and her family filed a federal lawsuit against the teens, the school district, the superintendent, and the principal.
"I anticipated this and advised my clients and so it's not coming as a surprise," said Dall'Osto.
The attorney for the district sent a statement that says, in part, "the school district determined that the allegations against the district were completely unfounded." It goes on to say, "while we have no further public comment on the lawsuit, we look forward to presenting our defense to the court."
The girl's attorney said the lawsuit is an effort to make up for some of the financial burden this case has put on the family. She says they were aware of the plea agreement.
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