CHARLESTON – Two Kanawha County parents allege their minor daughter was sexually assaulted by other youths in a summer care program at a Salvation Army facility.
Z.W., an infant, by her next friend and guardians Donald and Tammy Chandler, filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against The Salvation Army and The Salvation Army, doing business as St. Albans Boys and Girls Club, citing tort liability.
The suit states that Z.W. attended summer care at the St. Albans Boys and Girls Club in 2018 and was 10 years old at the time. The plaintiffs allege in August 2018, Z.W. was dragged from the outdoor playground by two other youths in the program and was forced to perform oral sex on one of them while the other held her.
The Chandlers allege they were informed about the sexual assault after an employee questioned Z.W., and the police were contacted.
The plaintiffs allege the defendants failed to provide adequate supervision of children and acted in a negligent and reckless manner.
The plaintiffs are seeking all reasonable sums due, attorneys' fees and court costs. They are represented by Christopher J. Heavens of Heavens Law Firm PLLC in Charleston and James D. McQueen Jr. and Amanda J. Davis of McQueen Davis in Huntington.
The case has been assigned to Judge Tera Salango.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 19-C-852