CHARLESTON — Another lawsuit was filed against Miracle Meadows School after a student alleged abuse during their time at the school.
The lawsuit named Seventh-Day Adventist Church North American Division, Columbia Union Conference Association of Seventh Day Adventists Inc., Mountain View Conference Association of Seventh-Day Adventists, Miracle Meadows School and Susan Gayle Clark as defendants.
H.S. was a student at the boarding school and abused at the hands of the defendants, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
The student claims they were regularly abused, sexually abused and quarantined to a windowless room that at times did not have heating, lighting or air conditioning.
The defendants violated child labor laws, failed to educate the plaintiff and caused them serious physical harm, vocational impairment and emotional and mental distress.
H.S. is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are represented by W. Jesse Forbes of Forbes Law Offices; R. Scott Long of Hendrickson & Long; and V. Paul Bucci II, Brian D. Kent and Gaetano D'Andrea of Laffey Bucci & Kent.
On Feb. 25, the plaintiff sought to have the case consolidated 14 other cases against Miracle Meadows by former students.
"The facts and circumstances of these fifteen cases arise out of the same or similar events and involve the same or similar facts and circumstances," the motion states. "The cases all include common questions of law and fact and are, thus, appropriate for consolidation."
The order notes that in 2017, Kanawha Circuit Court consolidated 27 cases against Miracle Meadows.
The defendants argue the cases should not be consolidated.
"Although the claims for the Plaintiffs arise from alleged conduct at Miracle Meadows School Inc., these individuals allege wrongdoing by various individuals over a period of 16 years," the Feb. 28 response states.
The defendants are represented by Jennifer Tully, John Fuller and Samuel Bloom of Bailey & Wyant.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 21-C-894