James Warren IMAGE PROVIDED
A court-appointed guardian of a girl with special needs at Creslane Elementary School is suing Creswell School District and a licensed practical nurse (LPN) for allegedly sexually assaulting the child multiple times inside a Life Skills classroom bathroom during the winter of 2016.
The civil lawsuit was filed Feb. 14 in Lane County Circuit Court, naming James Warren, 42, LPN, an aide contracted with Nursing Support Services.
Warren reportedly worked with CSD students from Feb. 16, 2016 through June 12, 2016, Superintendent Todd Hamilton told The Chronicle.
Hamilton said that, when applying for employment with CSD, ”Warren completed a fingerprint-based criminal history verification in accordance with (CSD) Board policies and state laws.”
The lawsuit seeks $275,000 and includes claims of sexual battery and infliction of emotional distress against Warren, as well as a claim of negligence against CSD.
According to reports, the lawsuit alleges CSD officials did not properly investigate after first learning of Warren’s ”inappropriate” and ”suspicious” behavior.
In a separate case, Warren was arrested in July 2017 and charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse in Cottage Grove. The victim is described as a child who is younger than 12. This matter does not involve the child whose guardian filed the lawsuit against Warren and CSD, reports indicate.
His trial on the Cottage Grove matter is scheduled for April 2018 in Lane County Circuit Court.
Hamilton declined comment on any other questions involving this case posed by The Chronicle, stating that the District does not comment on pending litigation.
