LA highschool coated up sexual and racist abuse from star water polo participant in the direction of his teammate, lawsuit says | EUROtoday

A former water polo participant at an elite Los Angeles non-public college is suing it, alleging that he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by an older participant and nothing was achieved to cease it when he reported the incidents.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Aidan Romain, who was 14 on the time of the alleged incidents on the Harvard-Westlake School, which prices greater than $54,000 a 12 months.

Romain, 18, was one of many solely Black gamers on the varsity’s crew. The lawsuit claims that the scholar who allegedly assaulted him additionally referred to as him racial slurs, in line with the Orange County Register.

According to the lawsuit, Lucca van der Woude, an older participant who was reportedly on observe to develop into an Olympic prospect for the American water polo crew, digitally penetrated Romain as early as Romain’s first follow with the crew.

“Time and time again, on Harvard-Westlake’s campus – in its pool and elsewhere – Lucca Van Der Woude approached Plaintiff from behind to ambush and digitally penetrate him,” Attorney Daniel Watkins wrote within the grievance.

The lawyer then accused the varsity of doing “nothing” after the assaults have been reported.

“Plaintiff reported this abuse to Harvard-Westlake immediately after learning that Lucca van Der Woude was assaulting another teammate. But Harvard-Westlake did nothing. It took none of the steps that the school – as a mandated reporter of child abuse – was legally required to take,” he wrote.

Romain claims within the lawsuit that he was referred to as the n-word every day from the time he joined the crew by means of February 2024. In one occasion, Romain alleges that van der Woude and one other scholar whipped Romain within the weight room and acted as if they have been whipping a slave.

“They taunted him with racial slurs, calling him a [n-word] nearly every day for approximately five months. When Connor Kim and Lucca van Der Woude were questioned by the school, both admitted it,” the grievance says. “Harvard-Westlake still failed to take necessary steps to protect Plaintiff.”

The lawsuit claims the scholar’s mom met with Harvard-Westlake Coach Jack Grover on not less than two events to voice her considerations concerning the crew’s allegedly abusive and bigoted conduct.

She reportedly mentioned the coach despatched her a textual content saying that “my eyes are going to be on [her son].”

Harvard-Westlake School president Richard Commons, Grover, and van der Woude are named as defendants within the case.

The college instructed The Independent that it “unequivocally disputes many” of the claims within the lawsuit.

“Harvard-Westlake will not offer specific comment other than to say that it unequivocally disputes many of the allegations in the lawsuit because they mischaracterize facts and the school’s actions. The school treated reports of inappropriate behavior in its water polo program with urgency and seriousness, promptly initiating an investigation and complying with its mandatory reporting obligations. The school also cooperated completely with law enforcement,” the varsity mentioned in its assertion.

In 2024, van der Woude was arrested on campus on suspicion of sexual assault and was then banned from each the varsity’s grounds and from enjoying for the varsity’s water polo crew, in line with the Orange County Register.

The grievance accuses the varsity of protecting for van der Woude to guard him from prison expenses.

“As part of its cover-up, the school worked hand-in-hand with Lucca van Der Woude and his family to transfer him to Newport Harbor High School the very next semester with a clean record, as if nothing had ever happened and he had committed no crimes,” the grievance alleged.

He was dedicated to becoming a member of UCLA’s championship water polo crew, however the college withdrew its supply following the Orange County Register’s report regarding the allegations levied towards him.

Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP, the legislation agency representing van der Woude, supplied The Independent with the next assertion:

“Lucca van der Woude categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation made against him. These claims are false. Lucca has conducted himself with integrity throughout his academic and athletic career, and he will not allow false accusations to define him now and/or in the future.”

“We have full confidence that the truth will emerge through the proper legal process, and we look forward to presenting Lucca’s complete defense. We will have no further comment while this matter is pending.”