Posted on 01/24/2024 1:56:42 PM PST by grundle
PITTSBURGH — 11 Investigates has learned that the grandmother of a 15-year-old “intellectually disabled” student has sued the Pittsburgh Public School District, Starbucks and Kappa Drive Associates.
According to the lawsuit filed in Common Pleas court today, the student was allegedly raped in the restroom of the Starbucks on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill in October of 2022.
The lawsuit said Starbucks leases the building from Kappa Drive Associates, and that they both, “refused to supply adequate security so that patrons could safely use its premises.”
“This young girl, was without question, one of the most vulnerable people that we have among us,” said Attorney Alec Wright, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the family.
The lawsuit claimed that three male students left Taylor Allderdice High School with the freshman around lunchtime and went to Starbucks.
“Just take a second and think about, ‘What if I received that phone call?’, that my child was the victim of a violent sexual assault when they should have been in school and should have been protected,“ Attorney Wright said.
And it contends that the school district, “allowed…three student-assailants to take her from Taylor Allderdice to Starbucks in broad daylight during school hours, despite its policy that students are not permitted off the school campus during the school day.”
“PPS did not supervise, manage or train its staff on this policy and the three student-assailants were therefore able to take Jane Do Minor off campus during the school day,” the suit claimed.
The lawsuit said two of the teens took turns raping the freshman in the restroom at Starbucks.
“Because Starbucks did not have security or trained staff present in its store, the students took turns going back and forth from the bathroom as they sexually assaulted and raped her,” the lawsuit said.
It also claimed the three males left the coffee shop and took the girl to a nearby construction site where one of them sexually assaulted her.
The suit said she suffered, “significant physical and emotional injuries.”
The suit alleged that she was, “incompetent and incapable of giving consent, and she was confused, scared, sad and upset.”
That area is a popular hangout for students from Taylor Allderdice, who are required to catch the bus at a bus stop near the Starbucks.
That location has been the site of fights among students.
In fact, during an altercation a month before the sexual assault, Pittsburgh Police Officers had to use Tasers to break up a fight.
The lawsuit also said 78 incidents of criminal activity had been reported in the area, including vandalism, drug dealing and assaults.
And the lawsuit said one of the students involved in the rape was already known to police.
“Defendants knew that one of the student-assailants was known for a litany of criminal activity including drug use, drug dealing, vehicle theft, violence and flight from police officers and that he would frequent Starbuck and the Starbuck’s bus stop,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also accused Starbucks of negligence and said the company, “should have known about the dangers and criminal activity occurring at and around its business location….and at the Starbucks bus stop that put Jane Doe Minor at risk of harm, and it breached its duties.”
Pittsburgh police investigated the rape allegations, but no charges were ever filed.
Attorney Wright said an examination confirmed that the teen had been sexually assaulted and he said he doesn’t understand why charges haven’t been filed.
He said the teen’s grandmother reported it to police with high hopes they would take action.
“Investigators will understand, and they will be tasked with doing something, but they won’t do anything. They’ll tell you that your daughter with a 60 IQ had the capacity to be gang raped on her own at her own volition,” said Wright, who is demanding a jury trial and seeking unspecified monetary damages.
A Starbucks spokesperson issued the following comment about the lawsuit:
“When we learned of these allegations, we acted with extreme urgency to and support law enforcement throughout their investigation. Our goal is always to keep our stores safe for our partners and our customers. Due to the sensitive nature of this matter, and out of respect for all involved, we cannot comment further right now.”
Pittsburgh Public Schools declined to comment.
I don't see how this rape can be the fault of Starbucks.
The article says one of the rape suspects had a long criminal history. He should have already been locked up for that. Then maybe this rape never would have happened.
The article also says that 78 crimes have been committed at that bus stop. I've said before that these serial criminals should have been locked up. I don't know why the city (or the county) is allowing these criminals to go unpunished.
I currently live very, very close to this bus stop, and I have been very critical of what seemed like a media blackout on this rape since it was first reported 15 months ago. I'm glad that we have been updated with new information.
I wish the best for this girl in this horrible situation that never should have been allowed to happen. I don't know why the city (or county) has allowed these serial criminals to run around free for so long and commit so many, many crimes.
> I don’t see how this rape can be the fault of Starbucks. <
Agreed. I am very quick to criticize school districts. But I also don’t see how the rape can be the fault of the school district either. It should be difficult to enter a school from the outside. But fire codes prohibit the locking of doors from the inside.
If a high school student - or a group of high school students - want to leave a school, you cannot physically stop them. And you cannot call the police every time high school students just decide to walk out of a building.
Now, if the district knew a crime was about to be committed, that would be a different story. But I don’t see that here. This is 100% on the filth who did the rape.
I'll try 'negro immunity' for $1,000, Alex
That is pretty attenuated logic. If that's the basis for the claim against the school, it fails. And telling Starbucks that they need security cameras in the bathroom???? Please.
Let me guess: it’s them again, Boo boo.
FTA....
The lawsuit said Starbucks leases the building from Kappa Drive Associates, and that they both, “refused to supply adequate security so that patrons could safely use its premises.”
“Because Starbucks did not have security or trained staff present in its store, the students took turns going back and forth from the bathroom as they sexually assaulted and raped her,” the lawsuit said.
Sounds like Starbucks was operating in a dangerous area with "78 incidents of criminal activity had been reported in the area, including vandalism, drug dealing and assaults."
They had a duty to provide extra security and safety. But I can just hear the cries of racism if they did take proactive action. When in a dangerous environment like that, they should have done what most businesses do.
Close.
When you have to go to civil action like this, you sue everyone who might possibly be considered liable (”deep pockets” theory) knowing most of them will probably be removed as defendants. The problem is, the perps are judgement-proof, i.e. they have no money or assets so the only choice the grandma has is to go after them under this negligence theory. Pretty likely the whole suit will fall apart if so as there’d be no reason to waste money on legal fees.
tru dat.
Lean harder. It’s not working.
If I’m wrong here, please explain. Maybe I’ll learn something new, and change my opinion.
If they can take them for gender bending treatment or abortions, then yes.
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How could anyone change your opinion?
You say they’re all a little bit guilty, so you blame no one.
I will point out, though, that this sounds like a lawsuit, because criminal law can touch no one. That, to me, is the real problem.
Invoking the doctrine of in loco parentis, schools are quick to assert rights over the students and parents. They are not so keen about the flip side of the doctrine which involves the duties.
> You say they’re all a little bit guilty, so you blame no one. <
I think you misread my post. Or perhaps you responded to the wrong person. I do not blame Starbucks at all. And I do not blame the school district at all.
The last sentence of my post #2: This is 100% on the filth who did the rape.
Unless I missed something, the three accused rapists are the only people NOT being sued. Is that becuase they have no $$$ to tap?
Allderdice ranks in the bottom 50% of schools in PA.
Majority black enrollment.
I don't keep up on the local news, so I missed it, first time.
Yeah, the perps bear first responsibility for committing the rape.
Second is the parent(s) and criminal justice system for continuing to let criminals skate.
Third, the school. They are responsible for the safety of students in their care.
Fourth, Starbucks. At least civilly.
A public accomodation must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of patrons.
I remember this from a case some years ago.
> Allderdice ranks in the bottom 50% of schools in PA. <
Now, here’s an interesting thing. Allderdice is one of the best schools in the Pittsburgh School District (not kidding). A teacher or student who is assigned there could do much worse.
And that gives you an idea of what the rest of the schools are like. Weak and woke administrators have destroyed that school district. Pittsburgh won’t be bouncing back, ever.
Apparently, I read your post entirely correctly - you blame no one.
Yet you list what the defendants of the suit did wrong.
Welcome to the world of the real. O.J. really killed those people. It is sad that criminal justice cannot always prevail, but sometimes it falls to civil law to obtain some semblance of justice. Your blame of the unknown is meaningless since they cannot be prosecuted.
If this suit goes forward, perhaps “schools” will pay attention to males escorting special needs females off campus. Perhaps Starbucks will realize that they are not selling coffee when they are really providing an unmonitored location for lawlessness.
Call the parents/guardians first. They need to know their offspring aren’t following simple rules. Parenting begins with parents, not with police.
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