Bakersfield Californian
A sexual abuse case that resulted in the criminal conviction of a former employee at North High School and spawned a string of lawsuits filed against the Kern High School District has given rise to yet another lawsuit.
Filed Wednesday, the suit names former North High equipment manager Edwin Rodriguez, KHSD, several district administrators and others. It was filed on behalf of Jane Doe 7, the seventh minor to come forward in the case.
The lawsuit contains six causes of action that allege, among other assertions, that Rodriguez, now 43, sexually harassed, molested and abused Jane Doe 7 from about March 2016 through September 2018, by taking advantage of his position of authority.
Chantal Trujillo, an attorney and partner at Rodriguez & Associates, which filed the civil action, said Rodriguez’s inappropriate behavior with multiple female students was allowed to continue, even after students alerted administrators and staff.
Rodriguez agreed to a plea deal in November. He had been charged with 11 felony and 13 misdemeanor counts of sexual misconduct with minors. The deal allowed Rodriguez to plead to one felony count of committing a lewd or lascivious act act with a 14 or 15 year old in exchange for a sentence of three years in jail and to register as a sex offender.
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