Teen Sex Assault Victim Files Lawsuit against Tutor, Catholic Schools, Diocese

By Barton Deiters
MLive
December 2, 2015

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/12/teen_sex_assault_victim_files.html

Abigail Simon reacts to the guilty verdict in her trial Wednesday, November 26, 2014. She is held by her attorney Michael Manley. Simon is guilty of having unforced sex with a 15-year-old boy whom she tutored while employed at Catholic Central High School in 2013. (Chris Clark | MLive.com)

The 15-year-old victim of sexual assault by Catholic school tutor Abigail Simon is 18 now and has filed a lawsuit seeking at least $25,000 from Simon, the private school system, the diocese and several administrators.

The now 18-year-old graduate of Catholic Central High School is represented by Detroit-based Ven Johnson – a so-called "super lawyer" and one-time partner of Geofrey Fieger. The suit was filed in Kent County Circuit Court.

Johnson says the goal of the suit is to bring the diocese "out of the dark ages" when it comes to the sexual abuse of students, including male students, by staff or teachers.

"You cannot do this to your children and pretend not to notice," Johnson said, adding that in cases such as these the Catholic church has tried to "ignore them and sweep them under the rug."

The suit alleges the school district and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids did know or should have known about the six-month sexual liaison between the teen and the $50,000-per-year athletic tutor in 2013.

The sexual acts detailed in copious text messages and presented to a jury just more than a year ago was enough to convict Simon, now 36, of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. She was sentenced to eight to 15 years in prison.

The new lawsuit accuses Simon, an inmate at the Huron Valley Women's Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, of battery and emotional distress as a result of her criminal actions.

"Simon's conduct in this case is so outrageous in character, and so extreme in degree, as to go beyond all possible limits of decency and is to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community," the suit opines.

The suit names individuals Tom Maj, the former administrator for the Grand Rapids Catholic high schools who now has a similar position in Ohio, current Catholic Central Principal Greg Deja, and assistant football coach Kyle Shelton.

The suit says that Maj and Deja should have protected the student from Simon and should have provided training for employees about their duty to report inappropriate behavior.

Maj allegedly saw Simon sitting next to the boy at his sister's funeral Mass and said nothing, did nothing to stop the contact, the suit alleges.

Shelton is accused of knowing about the conduct and failing to report it or trying to stop it.

The suit claims Shelton told Simon to "watch out because people are starting to talk" about her behavior with under-aged boys.

The suit accuses all named of "gross negligence and willful and wanton misconduct."

The 18-year-old star athlete in high school was briefly on the roster for a MAC conference university until Johnson says he was forced to drop out due to anxiety, depression, physical pain and suffering, freight and shock and embarrassment, humiliation and mortification.

The suit claims that the teen has diminished earning capacity as a result of his trauma.

"It absolutely screws up these young people," Johnson said.

All parties have 28 days to respond to the suit filed Nov. 20. The diocese is not commenting on the pending legal action other than to say it is aware of the suit.