Rosemead High School Sexual Abuse
If you experienced sexual abuse as a student at Rosemead High School, you have rights and options to seek justice and healing, such as the ability to file a civil lawsuit. We can help you understand your options and connect you with an experienced and trusted law firm today.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
Key Takeaways
- Allegations of sexual abuse at Rosemead High School go back to the 1980s. However, the 2023 Business Insider article titled “The Predator’s Playground” shed greater light on the rampant and pervasive sexual abuse of students.
- Two groups of students have already filed civil lawsuits against Rosemead High School, El Monte School District, and the individual perpetrators who caused them harm.
- If you were a student at Rosemead High School and suffered from any form of sexual abuse, you have rights and options. We can help you understand them and put you in touch with an experienced lawyer today.
History of the Rosemead High School Abuse Allegations
Rosemead High School is a public high school in the El Monte Union High School District in Rosemead, California.
Sexual abuse allegations against teachers and other staff members at Rosemead High School have been prominent since the 1980s. More recently, a 2023 expose published by a former student in Business Insider titled “The Predator’s Playground” became the tipping point for accountability and justice for those impacted.
Journalist Matt Drange says he has “corroborated dozens of instances of sexual misconduct, involving 20 different educators, ranging from lewd remarks about students’ bodies to statutory rape.”
However, Drange’s piece was not the first media report documenting such harm at Rosemead High School. Reports by CNN, The Los Angeles Times, and other news outlets as far back as 2009 have documented several instances of alleged sexual abuse.
So far, two groups of former Rosemead High School students have filed lawsuits against El Monte Union High School District for sexual abuse at the school while they were minors. A group of three women filed the first suit, and a group of nine women filed the second one.
The lawsuits allege the sexual abuse occurred between 1992 and 2003. They identify several teachers and staff members as the perpetrators.
The sexual abuse allegations raised by former Rosemead students include the following:
- Sexual grooming
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- Inappropriate touching
- Inappropriate teacher-student relationships, which many former students have stated were an “open secret” at the school
- Requesting and sending sexual photos of students
- Inappropriate touching and sexual assault by coaches under the guise of sports medicine
- Sexual assault
- Rape
Several former students have stated that they did report to the school official and law enforcement at the time. However, they have said their reports went uninvestigated. Some even allege that the school retaliated against them.
If you or someone you know was a student at Rosemead High School and experienced sexual abuse by a teacher or staff member, you have rights and options to seek justice and healing.
We are here to listen and advocate for you.
Rosemead High School Teachers & Staff Accused of Sexual Abuse
Not all teachers accused of sexual abuse at Rosemead High School have been publicly named. However, here are the teachers and staff members who have faced accusations so far:
- Herbert Daniel Ortizmonroy, a former Rosemead High School wrestling coach, was convicted of sexual offenses against a minor in 2009. Ortizmonroy was originally charged with three counts of lewd acts on a child and two counts of oral copulation on a person under 16. He was sentenced to three years and eight months in state prison.
- Fidel Camarena Dominguez, former head coach of Rosemead High School’s track and field team, was charged with multiple counts in 2019 related to sexually abusing students. The charges included four counts of lewd acts upon a child aged 14 or 15, two counts of oral copulation of a person under 16, unlawful sexual intercourse, oral copulation of a person under 18, and dissuading a witness. He was sentenced to three years in state prison and required to also register as a lifetime sex offender.
- Wing Chan was a former tennis coach at Rosemead High School accused of having an open, inappropriate sexual relationship with at least one student between 2005 and 2009. He is identified as a perpetrator in one of the lawsuits, which alleges that “it was so well known on campus that Chan would have sex with [the student] that almost all students and faculty knew of the relationship but did nothing to stop it or prevent the abuse.”
- Eric Burgess was a journalism teacher at Rosemead High School and the former teacher of Michael Drange, the journalist who later wrote the “Predator’s Playground.” The report cited Burgess as one of the alleged abusers. Burgess allegedly sexually assaulted at least three students and was only removed in 2019—a year after Rosemead principal Brian Bristol was made aware of the abuse.
- Eduardo Escobar, a former cross country coach, is named as a perpetrator by one of the lawsuits, with a former student alleging he began “isolating” her so he could abuse her in private when she was just 14 or 15 years old.
- Alex Rai was a teacher at Rosemead. The same student sexually abused by Escobar went to Rai as a trusted teacher to report the harm. The lawsuit alleges that rather than helping her, Rai used his position of power to sexually groom, grope, and abuse her as well.
In the Business Insider article, Drange said he spoke with dozens of students and discovered sexual abuse allegations against at least 20 teachers and staff members. While the lawsuits have named several individual defendants, many more teachers and perpetrators have yet to be made public.
If you or someone you know experienced sexual abuse at Rosemead High School, you have legal rights and options. We can help you understand them if you reach out to us today.
Legal Options For Students Impacted by Rosemead High School Sexual Abuse
The brave students who have already come forward have stated they have experienced long-lasting harm, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and more. Such harm is completely understandable in light of the allegations of pervasive and severe abuse at Rosemead High School.
Many former students assert they reported the abuse to the school and law enforcement. However, those reports were either ignored, or the students were retaliated against, facing even more sexual abuse.
However, now that the abuse has come to light, impacted individuals can come forward with confidence that the authorities will take the reports more seriously. Every student deserves to seek help and healing, both inside and outside the legal system.
Rosemead High School abuse survivors have several legal options to pursue justice. However, seeking mental health support and disclosing the abuse to trusted individuals are also important steps towards healing.
File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Rosemead High School, El Monte School District, & Individual Perpetrators
Twelve female former students have already brought two lawsuits. However, many more former students are likely to come forward. They have the right to file a civil lawsuit against Rosemead High School, El Monte School District, and the teachers and staff members who perpetrated the abuse.
A sexual abuse lawsuit allows those harmed to seek monetary compensation for their damages and losses. In addition, it establishes a public record documenting the abuse and formally acknowledging the harm. However, you can likely file the lawsuit “under seal” or anonymously so your identity is not publicly disclosed.
An experienced teacher sexual abuse attorney can help discuss this process in a free initial consultation. Most attorneys take these cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs to pursue a claim, and they will only get paid if and when you win the case.
Helping Survivors only works with law firms that provide free consultations and work on contingent fee agreements. If you contact us today, we can connect you with an experienced, trauma-informed law firm.
Filing a sexual abuse lawsuit over harm at Rosemead High School will generally involve the following steps:
- Document the Incident – Start by writing down everything you can remember about the incident, including the dates, the parties involved, whether you told anyone or reported the abuse, any potential witnesses, and any evidence that may be available.
- Speak with an Attorney – As soon as possible, consult an experienced teacher sexual abuse attorney. They can advise you about your rights and options and protect your interests as you take further steps, like filing a police report.
- Review and Sign a Fee Agreement – Once you have spoken to a law firm and feel confident in their ability to help you seek justice, you will sign with them and begin the process of filing a civil lawsuit.
- File a Complaint – The law firm will investigate what happened and draft a legal complaint. They will handle all the legal details so you can focus on healing rather than fighting for justice.
- Court Appearances and Filings – If there are any required court appearances or filings, the attorney will handle these. You may not need to attend most proceedings. However, if the case goes to trial, you will likely need to appear.
- Discovery Process – This involves gathering and exchanging evidence and information about your case. Discovery may include depositions, during which the witnesses and parties involved provide oral testimony under oath. If you must testify at a deposition, your attorney will prepare you to ensure you are comfortable with the process.
- Settlement Negotiations – Both sides will negotiate to reach a fair and just settlement throughout the case.
- Trial Proceedings – If the parties cannot reach a settlement, the case may proceed to a jury trial. An experienced law firm will fiercely advocate for you and try your case if necessary.
This process can take months to years, depending on various factors. However, while this process may seem complex and daunting, an experienced attorney will handle most of the work, enabling you to focus on healing.
Report Individuals to Law Enforcement
If you have not already done so, you may want to report what happened to you to law enforcement. While a civil lawsuit allows you to seek monetary compensation for the harm and hold the institutions accountable for what happened, filing a report allows the police to pursue a criminal investigation.
Each state has its own statutes of limitations that impose the deadlines for criminal charges and civil lawsuits over sexual abuse. Fortunately, the deadlines in California tend to be survivor-friendly. However, we recommend filing a police report as soon as possible. A police report will document the harm and create a critical paper trail should you eventually pursue a civil lawsuit.
While many students and parents previously reported abuse at Rosemead High School to law enforcement and nothing happened, the media and government now know about the pervasiveness of the harm. Thus, a criminal investigation and resulting charges are more likely.
You must generally file a report in the police precinct for the jurisdiction where the harm happened. We have created this resource to help individuals understand their role within the criminal legal process and encourage reporting even if years have passed as long as you feel safe in doing so.
If you have questions about reporting the abuse to law enforcement or need information about filing a civil lawsuit against Rosemead High School, contact us today.
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