Aaron Richmond Indicted on Child Sexual Assault Charges
Unsafe Premises - January 21, 2025
Former Thornton Fractional South High School Wrestling Coach Aaron Richmond Charged With Sexually Assaulting Minor Student
LANSING, ILLINOIS (January 20, 2025) – A former wrestling coach at Thornton Fractional South High School identified as Aaron Richmond was indicted on felony sexual assault charges.
Prosecutors are alleging that the defendant sexually assaulted a 16-year-old student. Aaron Richmond has since been formally indicted on felony sexual assault charges.
He allegedly picked the victim up from her home in March under the guise of taking her to a wrestling tournament. Aaron Richmond allegedly invited the girl to his home to wait, but shortly after they both went inside, he sexually assaulted her.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on January 13. A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Illinois Student Sexual Assault
Sexual assaults among teachers and coaches are sadly far more common than many people realize. According to one study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, “The results show that 0.5% of adolescents experienced sexual abuse involving a coach. When considering all adolescents who experienced sexual abuse in their lifetime (10.2%), it appears that 5.3% of them were victims of sexual abuse by a coach.” There are a number of steps that schools should take to protect students from sexual assaults.
- Schools should conduct rigorous background checks on all the people that they hire to be coaches.
- Schools should confirm all qualifications, licenses, and past employment to ensure that applicants are not dangerous.
- Schools should train employees to recognize the signs that student sexual abuse is taking place.
- Schools should have anonymous reporting channels for sexual abuse and misconduct.
Schools have a legal obligation to protect students from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protecting children from sexual assault at the hands of teachers and coaches. They must supervise students at all times during the school day and enforce all rules and regulations necessary for their protection. This protection extends to officially sanctioned school events, such as athletic games. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any instance of sexual assault involving a school official.
- The incident should be reported to the authorities.
- Evidence related to the assault should be preserved. This may include emails, text messages, and surveillance footage.
- An experienced school sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any instance of sexual abuse involving a coach or school official. Victims of sexual assaults tend to suffer very serious and traumatic injuries. They are at increased risk of long-term psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder. It is important for victims of this misconduct to understand that they do have rights. Any person who was sexually assaulted by a school official may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Investigating Lansing School Sexual Abuse
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates were deeply concerned to hear about the alleged actions of Aaron Richmond. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened. How much did school officials know about the possibility that this individual was a threat to children? So many questions remain unanswered. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to make Thornton Fractional South High School safer for the sake of all students who go there.
Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of sexual abuse at Thornton Fractional South High School? You may have legal recourse. Our team of school safety advocates is here to answer any questions you may have. We care deeply that abuse victims are aware of their rights and that school districts are held accountable for their negligent conduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here to serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.