Carlos Deangelo Bell
La Plata, MD – A class action law suit was filed in Charles County Circuit Court earlier this month stemming from the series of sexual abuse incidents allegedly involving a former instructional assistant at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School (BSMS). The suit, filed on behalf of “Jane Doe #2”—an adult—and “John Doe #2—a minor, by the law firm Joseph, Greenwald and Laake names the Charles County Board of Education (BOE) and Superintendent Kimberly A. Hill (pictured, below right) as codefendants along with the accused, Carlos Deangelo Bell. The lawsuit filed Feb. 7 follows a similar complaints filed by the same law firm in early January regarding Bell’s conduct as a track coach at La Plata High School.
Documents on file with the Circuit Court noted that between May 2015 and June 2017, “Bell, who is HIV-positive, sexually abused, assaulted and harassed in excess of 42 boys. Bell’s acts of abuse frequently occurred on school property during the school day.” It is acknowledged in court documents that Bell was investigation, criminally charged with 206 offenses, pleaded guilty to 206 offenses in local Circuit Court, pleaded guilty to 10 federal charges and is awaiting sentencing.
“The abuse was permitted to occur because the defendant Board of Education failed to adopt and implement reasonable policies and procedures to ensure that a teaching assistant and coach is not permitted to have unlimited access to children and not given the extraordinary latitude and total lack of supervision where the school employee was afforded the opportunity to not only sexually abuse numerous students on school property, but to frequently videotape the sexual abuse all during the school day.”
The complaint further states that “Bell was able to perform sexual acts on school property because of the complete absence of any supervision and oversight of his conduct or behavior involving these children. Bell was able to exercise this control over students by virtue of his position of trust and authority at the school, which was conferred upon him by defendants Board of Education and Superintendent Hill.”
The complaint also alleges that although the BOE “prohibits teachers and teacher’s assistants from obstructing windows on doors throughout the school” and “locked the door to the computer lab” when allegedly abusing a student there in violation of board policy, “but it happened with such regularity that it was board policy, custom and practice to disregard this prohibition.” The complaint further states, “at all times relevant to this complaint, Bell acted as an agent of the board and this status and position of influence, control and authority conferred by the board permitted, facilitated, enabled and caused the conduct to occur. It is believed and alleged that agents of the board failed to promptly report concerns about Bell’s extensive sexual abuse in violation of Maryland law with respect to promptly reporting sexual abuse.”
The complaint also stated that the victim has suffered emotional harm and distress, humiliation, mental pain and suffering, and exposure due to being exposed to the potential for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. The victim “requires psychological counseling and other treatment as a result of this abuse,” the complaint stated.
The court document cites six counts. They are violations of articles 24 and 26 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights (against all defendants), negligent supervision (against the BOE), violation of the Maryland Constitution article VIII (against BOE), battery (all defendants); and intentional infliction of emotional stress (all defendants).
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary and punitive damages to be determined at trial and injunctive relief compelling the BOE to make policy changes regarding the monitoring of Charles County Public Schools employees on school property and investigative procedures.
“We have cooperated fully throughout the investigation,” said Hill back in January after Bell entered his plea in Charles County Circuit Court. “Since learning of the charges against Mr. Bell we have focused on supporting the students affected by his actions.” Hill added that the school system was now working with the local Center For Children to provide training for employees in recognizing predators. Additionally, Hill stated the school system is “reworking our curriculum” to provide children with instruction in recognizing any predatory behavior by school staff members. When asked during the news conference following Bell’s guilty plea if administration any reports from other staff member of suspicious activity on the part of Bell, Hill stated, “absolutely nothing.”
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
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