Mother claims daughter was sexually assaulted at Homestead charter school

Student allegedly assaulted by 2 Keys Gate High football players inside dean's office

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – The allegations made in a lawsuit against USA Charter and Keys Gate High are startling.

"In this case, we allege a 16-year-old was assaulted by two football players at school during the day in the dean's office," said Jeffrey Herman, the alleged victim's attorney.

Herman called a news conference Thursday with the girl's mother, who didn't want to be identified. 

"That's my baby," said the mother.

She claims two boys dragged her daughter from the girls' bathroom in April and then took her to an administrator's office, where they forced themselves on her.

"Obviously the dean should not be giving his keys to students," said Herman.

The mother says her daughter hasn't been the same since. 

"She's suffering a lot of depression," said the mother.

Now she's suing, claiming the school should've done more to protect her daughter. She said she called administrators in July when she found out what happened, but had a hard time getting anyone to listen.

"A month had passed, she never got back to me so I called her," said the woman.

On Thursday, talk of the alleged attack spread through the halls of Keys Gate High. One student told Local 10 News that a teacher had shown her a news report about the case while another said he's seen at least one administrator allow students to use his keys.

Students said the news makes them uneasy. 

"Nobody should be getting sexually assaulted the way she did," said a student identified as Gabriela. "Not at a charter school."

"I go to this school -- how someone gets raped in the school I go to, that's crazy, that's weird," said Vonny, another student at the school.

The victim's mother said she just wants justice. 

"They need help. I think something is wrong," said the mother.  

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About the Author:

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.