CHICAGO (IL)
WGN-TV [Chicago IL]
August 24, 2021
By Rob Sneed
CHICAGO — A former Mother McAuley High School student has filed a lawsuit claiming she was sexually assaulted and abused by her water polo coach.
The woman, who is not being named, filed the lawsuit against the Catholic Bishop of Chicago, Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School and her former water polo coach for alleged repeated sexual assaults.
The victim’s attorney said she was a student at the all-girls Catholic school, located in Mount Greenwood, from 2012 to 2016. The victim first met the coach in 2013 when she was 13, according to the lawsuit.
Around 2014, the victim claims the coach started taking her out to dinner as well as having her babysit the coach’s children.
When you are in a position where an individual has authority or power takes advantage over you,” said attorney Colleen Mixan-Mikaitis. “In this type of situation and to the extent of this sexual relationship that happened and occurred over a matter of years, there is trauma that unfortunately my client will experience for the remainder of her life.”
The lawsuit claims that the Catholic Bishop of Chicago and Mother McAuley were negligent and failed to provide for the safety and protection of the victim.
The coach is no longer employed at the school.
“While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we take these allegations very seriously. We will not be offering any additional comment at this time so as not to compromise the integrity of this process,” the school said in a statement.
The Archdiocese of Chicago said they do not comment on pending litigation.