A disabled teenager was allegedly raped by a group of students from her school in the bathroom of a Starbucks in Pittsburgh.
According to a civil lawsuit filed by the teen's mother against several companies, including the school and the Starbucks company, three boys lured the victim off school grounds before attacking him in the cafe.
The teens then allegedly took them to an empty building, where one of them continued the attack.
“The school failed in its responsibility to provide a safe environment for my client,” said Alec Wright, the family’s attorney.
The teenager, who has an IQ of 60, was often left alone during the first few months of the school year. The latter often hid in the school toilets during lessons.
The Starbucks employees allegedly saw the young men entering the restroom with the victim and did not intervene, we learn in the lawsuit.
“Starbucks was unable to protect my client when it knew that one of its locations was the scene of criminal activity,” the attorney said.
“As soon as we became aware of these allegations, we acted quickly to assist law enforcement in the investigation,” a Stabucks representative said.
The lawsuit is also directed against the owner of the vacant building.
It was the school that informed the victim's mother that a rumor was circulating that three boys had had sexual relations with her daughter.
A police department spokesman said the case was closed and no prosecution would be initiated.
According to the New York Post