A Valley family traumatized by alleged sexual abuse, will soon receive a large cash settlement. Last year, a Clovis teacher was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing his second grade student. The school district has now agreed to pay for damages.
Clovis Unified School District will pay out $2.1 million in a legal settlement. This follows appalling allegations against a former Freedom Elementary school teacher. 44-year-old Neng Yang is accused of sexually abusing a second grade girl. The abuse reportedly happened on multiple occasions.
Earlier this week, an agreement was reached with the victim's family. The family's attorney Warren Paboojian says the district did the right thing.
Paboojian says, "Clovis Unified School District stepped up to the plate and resolved this case expeditiously. They, from day one wanted to try to make this right with the family."
According to court documents, the abuse started in December of 2011 and lasted for more than a month. Yang allegedly molested the then 7-year-old girl inside his classroom during school hours. Police say the teacher used his cell phone to record the abuse.
The disturbing details of the alleged crime shocked the community.
Friday, Clovis Unified issued this statement which reads in part--
"From the moment we learned of the allegations against Mr. Yang, the district has taken every opportunity available to us to act quickly and with integrity to restore our community's confidence in the district....."
Yang is charged with 45 counts of child molestation. He was also indicted in federal court on four counts of child pornography. Paboojian says the family won't give up until Yang is brought to justice. For now, the settlement is a step forward.
"The financial settlement helps them to get a fresh start. The money will go to their daughter not only now, but in the future for therapy and whatever her psychological and emotional needs are going to be."
Paboojian says the family also plans to use some of the money to relocate out of the Fresno area. As for yang, both state and federal cases against him are still pending. He is scheduled for a hearing in federal court, April 8th.
TXT 24
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