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Children Allegedly Engaged In Sex Acts With Each Other At Carson Preschool


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CARSON (CBSLA.com) — At least six parents have sued a Carson preschool following revelations that their children were allegedly involved in sexual acts with each other on school grounds.

Attorney Greg Owen filed the lawsuit Tuesday against First Lutheran Church of Carson School on behalf of the parents, who claim staff members failed to supervise the students and allowed them to engage in the inappropriate behavior.

Richard McCarthy said his 5-year-old son was molested in an unlocked bathroom in Oct. 2012.

"A teacher opened the door and saw this girl performing oral sex on my son," he said.

The sexual misconduct reportedly occurred multiple times in the bathroom, on the playground and during naptime.

Owen said the girl who allegedly had contact with McCarthy's son was molested by another child last year and school officials didn't do anything about it.

The attorney said that girl's family is also part of the suit against the preschool.

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"If (the school) had done what they should have done or what they promised to do for these parents, if they'd been adequately staffed, none of this would have occurred," Owen said.

First Lutheran Church of Carson School will shut down indefinitely Friday.

In a statement, Mark Witte, the school's interim pastor, said, in part, "The decision to go into an inactive status was made based on the fact that our director has resigned, for personal reasons, and we have not been able to secure a full-time director in a timely manner. Her decision to resign is not related to the allegations."

CBS2's Kristine Lazar said the Department of Social Services could revoke the school's license or decide to go after individual teachers.

The state and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are still investigating the incidents.

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