Student Files Lawsuit Against Santa Rosa County School Board Over Alleged Sexual Assault at Gulf Breeze High School.
A lawsuit filed Monday in Santa Rosa County Circuit Court alleges that inadequate supervision at Gulf Breeze High School led to the sexual assault of a female student by a male classmate in March 2024.
The Complaint, filed on behalf of a minor identified as S.A.C. through her guardian Renee Hayes, claims the Santa Rosa County School Board failed to provide proper oversight during a sixth-period class, creating conditions that enabled the alleged assault. Levin Papantonio represents the minor and her guardian. Amended Complaint w Exhibit A_Redacted
Details
According to court documents, the incident occurred on March 14, 2024, when the female student, a member of the girls’ basketball team, entered the boys’ locker room to retrieve basketballs for practice. The lawsuit alleges that a male student, K.T.R., who was supposed to be in a classroom elsewhere in the building, was present in the locker room and sexually assaulted her.
- The Complaint details a pattern of inadequate supervision that allegedly began in October 2023, when the basketball coach instructed team members not to participate in their scheduled weightlifting class, leaving them unsupervised in the gymnasium. Despite parent complaints beginning in December 2023, the lawsuit claims the school failed to provide consistent supervision.
The lawsuit further alleges that school officials were aware of the male student’s history of disciplinary issues, including wandering the school during class time and previous attempts to enter the girls’ locker room area, but failed to take adequate preventive measures.
Following the incident, the Complaint states that school officials took inadequate action, failing to immediately question the accused student or notify police. The victim’s mother reportedly had to contact law enforcement herself.
As a result of the alleged assault and the school’s response, the student has been receiving mental health counseling and was forced to transfer to a private school for the 2024-2025 academic year, according to the lawsuit.
The negligence complaint seeks damages exceeding $200,000 for medical expenses, educational costs, mental anguish, and other related damages. The case has been assigned number 25000437CAXMX in the Santa Rosa County Circuit Court.
The Complaint includes a notice of administrative claim that was filed in November 2024, which the lawsuit states was deemed denied after six months.
Other Stories
The lawsuit on comes on the heels of several stories involving teachers and adminstrators at Gulf Breeze schoools.
Earlier this month, the Santa Rosa County school board unanimously approved to terminate Gulf Breeze High teacher Molly Mersereau from her position, effective on Aug. 8. Mersereau she was arrested in July for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student.
According to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, 18-year-old Matthew McChesney, a former GBHS student was arrested after sending and receiving child sexual abuse material through the social media app Discord. His mother, Kim McChesney, as assistant principal at Gulf Breeze Elementary, has been placed on administrative leave.
