5 claims seek $15 million
in alleged student molest
Sac Bee excloo
MARYSVILLE 6/21/02 (YSN) - Parents of five children allegedly molested by school psychologist William W. Babcock have filed $15 million in claims against the Marysville Joint Unified School District, lawyers said Friday.
Each claim seeks $3 million based on allegations school officials failed to properly investigate parents' complaints about "inappropriate and unorthodox touching" by Babcock, an advisor at Walter Kynoch Elementary School.
District officials, the school principal, other teachers and school staff should have heeded these "red flag" warnings, but didn't, the claims stated.
As a result, the five children suffered emotional injuries likely to lead to future psychological problems, including "chemical abuse, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, major depression and personality disorders," the claims alleged.
Babcock was arrested in April and charged with four counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with minors under 14. He has pleaded innocent in Yuba County Superior Court to all charges. He remains in custody while awaiting trial.
This brings to six the number of Babcock-related claims the district faces. District Superintendent Marc Liebman has denied any neglect or wrongdoing on the part of the district.
"The lawyers say there is in issue here, and there is. But they're assuming he's guilty and he hasn't been tried yet," Liebman said.
Altogether there are 11 claimants in these last filings -- the five alleged child victims, plus their parents or guardians, documents showed.
Three of the five boys involved in the civil claims are also the alleged victims in criminal counts Babcock faces. Two are not, said Santana, who represents the children and their parents.
Citing a court-ordered gag order, the Yuba County prosecutor has refused to comment on whether more charges might be filed against Babcock.
The seven-page claims were unusually specific in their descriptions of how the school officials were allegedly negligent in not curbing Babcock and the kinds of long-term problems the alleged victims are likely to suffer as a result.
"Warped" psychosexual development, "feelings of low self-esteem, self-hatred, and extreme bouts of depression accompanied by sleep disturbances and nightmares," were among the alleged consequences the claims mentioned.
"We did this to show the district we meant business," said attorney Matt Beauchamp, a former Sutter County prosecutor who is now law partners with Santana.
Babcock, 54, is slated to return to court July 26 for a preliminary hearing.
in alleged student molest
Sac Bee excloo
MARYSVILLE 6/21/02 (YSN) - Parents of five children allegedly molested by school psychologist William W. Babcock have filed $15 million in claims against the Marysville Joint Unified School District, lawyers said Friday.
Each claim seeks $3 million based on allegations school officials failed to properly investigate parents' complaints about "inappropriate and unorthodox touching" by Babcock, an advisor at Walter Kynoch Elementary School.
District officials, the school principal, other teachers and school staff should have heeded these "red flag" warnings, but didn't, the claims stated.
As a result, the five children suffered emotional injuries likely to lead to future psychological problems, including "chemical abuse, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, major depression and personality disorders," the claims alleged.
Babcock was arrested in April and charged with four counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with minors under 14. He has pleaded innocent in Yuba County Superior Court to all charges. He remains in custody while awaiting trial.
This brings to six the number of Babcock-related claims the district faces. District Superintendent Marc Liebman has denied any neglect or wrongdoing on the part of the district.
"The lawyers say there is in issue here, and there is. But they're assuming he's guilty and he hasn't been tried yet," Liebman said.
Altogether there are 11 claimants in these last filings -- the five alleged child victims, plus their parents or guardians, documents showed.
Three of the five boys involved in the civil claims are also the alleged victims in criminal counts Babcock faces. Two are not, said Santana, who represents the children and their parents.
Citing a court-ordered gag order, the Yuba County prosecutor has refused to comment on whether more charges might be filed against Babcock.
The seven-page claims were unusually specific in their descriptions of how the school officials were allegedly negligent in not curbing Babcock and the kinds of long-term problems the alleged victims are likely to suffer as a result.
"Warped" psychosexual development, "feelings of low self-esteem, self-hatred, and extreme bouts of depression accompanied by sleep disturbances and nightmares," were among the alleged consequences the claims mentioned.
"We did this to show the district we meant business," said attorney Matt Beauchamp, a former Sutter County prosecutor who is now law partners with Santana.
Babcock, 54, is slated to return to court July 26 for a preliminary hearing.
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