Sexual abuse victim suing Bradenton private school for negligence

BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) - A former student who was sexually abused by a teacher at a private school for special needs children in Bradenton is suing the school for negligence, court records show.

The now-18-year-old victim, identified in court documents only as A.R., was a ninth grader during the 2018-2029 school year at The Broach School when his teacher, Kassandra Moore, initiated a sexual relationship with him. Moore sent provocative images of herself to the victim and eventually had sex with him several times.

The then-15-year-old’s version of events was substantiated through DNA evidence after investigators recovered a used condom from G.T. Bray Park and matched the genetic profile to Moore. The investigators also obtained video surveillance taken at the school, which showed Moore and the boy together in her car.

Moore was placed on administrative leave after school administrators received the allegations. She was fired within days of police launching the investigation.

Moore was eventually arrested, convicted and sentenced in May of this year to 20 years in state prison. During her sentencing hearings, psychological evaluations indicated Moore was bipolar and suffered from other conditions including mixed personality disorder, sexual dysfunction and post traumatic stress.

Moore, 33, could have received a life sentence. In addition to the 20-year sentence, Circuit Judge Frederick Mercurio ordered two years of house arrest, and eight years of sexual predator probation after her release, now scheduled for 2042, records show. Moore is appealing her conviction.

In a news release, the law firm representing A.R. says the victim stated in court that after the ordeal began, he spent a year and a half without leaving his bedroom and even attempted to take his own life. “Someone who sexually violates young children has no place working in the school system,” said the victim’s attorney, Adam Horowitz. “Any school in which such a crime is committed should take responsibility if they fail to properly screen potential teachers and protect their students.”

The civil suit filed in Manatee County Circuit Court alleges the school, which serves students with learning disabilities and autism, should have known Moore was unfit to be a teacher. “The Broach School knew or in the exercise of reasonable care should have known that Moore ... did not exhibit appropriate boundaries with Plaintiff and/or other boys, was physically inappropriate with Plaintiff and/or posed a risk of perpetrating sexual contact on Plaintiff,” the suit says.

The suit alleges the school did not conduct proper background checks and ignored red-flag behavior. The victim “has suffered psychological, emotional and physical injured, emotional distress, mental anguish, pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.”

The Broach School is owned by Children’s Educational Services, which operates five other private schools in Florida, in Jacksonville, Zeyphrhills, Lakeland, Tampa and St. Petersburg.