LAUSD sued for negligence in sexual assault case at North Hollywood elementary school

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A lawsuit has been filed against the Los Angeles Unified School District on behalf of three elementary school girls, alleging that they were sexually abused by a former teacher's aide on campus in North Hollywood.

The complaint filed on March 3 against the LAUSD and their alleged assailant, Lino Cabrera, alleges sexual harassment, sexual battery, false imprisonment and negligence. The 27-year-old was sentenced to eight years in prison in February for sexually abusing six students.

Cabrera, who worked in the computer lab at Oxnard Street Elementary School, sexually abused six students at the school from September 2016 to May 2019, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

The families of the victims say his sentencing is just the start of justice for the girls, alleging in the lawsuit that LAUSD knew Cabrera was a danger yet allowed him to stay on campus.

"Principals, counselors, assistant principals who were at that school, Oxnard Elementary, who were supposed to be supervising this pervert - they should all be fired for their enormous negligence," said Luis Carrillo, an attorney for one of the plaintiffs.

The mother of one of the victims, who did not wish to publically identified, claims other unnamed adults were aware of the situation but did not report anything.

"I want the district, the schools, to open their eyes and whatever they see that's wrong, they need to say something because it does affect them. It affects everyone," said the mother.

A spokesman for the district declined to comment on pending litigation, but added the following in a written statement: "student safety is always of utmost concern, and we have made changes in our policies and practices to strengthen the protections for our students... we will continue to work diligently with our parents and the community to provide the safest possible environment for our students to learn and succeed."

The families of two of the other victims are also planning to file a civil lawsuit against the LAUSD.