Teacher's Sexual Abuse of 14-Year-old Boy Results in $20M Lawsuit Against Milwaukee School
Josiah at age 14
10 Years Following Repeated Assault, Josiah Strong Speaks Out
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, USA, July 2, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr has filed a $20 Million lawsuit on behalf of Josiah Strong against Elizabeth Dillett and the Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative, Inc. (LUMIN Schools St. Peter-Immanuel Lutheran). The complaint [Case 2:24-cv-00823/Filed 07/02/24], filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, alleges severe sexual misconduct by a teacher and constitutional violations by the school administration, resulting in significant and lasting impacts on the plaintiff's life.
Josiah Strong, now an adult, claims he was subjected to repeated sexual misconduct by his elementary school teacher and athletic director, Elizabeth Dillett, while he was a minor. The lawsuit outlines a series of disturbing incidents from January 2015 to March 2016, during which Dillett allegedly groomed and coerced Strong into performing sexual favors. These interactions ultimately led to multiple instances of sexual intercourse on school premises and at Dillett’s home.
The lawsuit details that Dillett spent unsupervised time alone with Strong, engaging in inappropriate sexual conversations that led to sexual intercourse approximately 15 to 20 times, often inside a classroom after school-organized events. Dillett’s predatory behavior included providing condoms, sending inappropriate text messages during school hours, and making comparisons between herself and 14-year-old girls. The first encounter allegedly happened before Josiah had been sexually active, therefore Dillett stole his innocence.
Despite early reports by another student's mother about witnessing such inappropriate conduct, the lawsuit claims the school administration dismissed the allegations, and no formal investigation was conducted. This allowed Dillett to continue the misconduct for several more months. In December 2015, a concerned mother reported witnessing inappropriate conduct, but Principal Amy Peuchner allegedly dismissed the allegations, stating it was an issue between Strong’s mother and Dillett. Strong's mother insisted on a formal investigation, but no action was taken.
In April 2016, Josiah's father discovered inappropriate text messages from Dillett on Josiah’s phone, leading to a confrontation and admission of the sexual relationship. Josiah’s parents reported the incident to Child Protective Services, which resulted in a criminal complaint against Dillett.
In October 2016, Elizabeth Dillett pleaded guilty to two felony charges of sexual assault on a child by a person who works or volunteers with children. She was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of extended supervision. During sentencing, the judge remarked that Josiah's experience would take "a lifetime to recover."
The consequences of Dillett's actions have been severe, causing Josiah to suffer emotional and mental distress, flashbacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, and sleep disorders.
Attorney LaMarr stated, "This case highlights a betrayal of trust placed in educators and the duty of care owed by institutions to protect their students. Josiah’s life has been profoundly impacted and we are committed to seeking justice and ensuring accountability in this case."
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the emotional, psychological, and educational harm suffered by Josiah Strong due to the actions of Elizabeth Dillett and the negligence of the school. The complaint includes claims under Wisconsin statutes for recovery of damages due to sexual assault of a child, vicarious liability, and violations of civil rights under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Josiah Strong is represented by Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr of The LaMarr Firm.
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