The grandmother of a 14-year-old girl has filed a lawsuit in Superior Court over allegations her granddaughter was raped by a facility employee while she was staying at a Short Term Assessment & Respite (STAR) Home located in Harwinton.
According to the summons, the minor plaintiff resided at the Harwinton STAR Home between February 3 and February 7, 2021, and during that period was “raped and sexually assaulted while at the facility by a facility employee.” The lawsuit also alleges the minor plaintiff suffered “significant physical and emotional harm” as a result.
The complaint lists two counts against the Bridge Family Center: one for corporate negligence and the second for breach of special duty of care to children.
In the first count, the suit alleges the assault occurred because the center failed to properly supervise minor residents, failed to properly supervise and train employees, failed to provide adequate security equipment at the facility, and more.
As a result of the assault, the lawsuit states the “plaintiff will never enjoy the health and wellbeing she did prior to becoming a resident at the defendant’s facility, and her ability to enjoy the full spectrum of life’s activities has been impaired.”
The second count alleges the Bridge Family Center knew its employees would develop close and trusting relationships with residents and the assault that occurred was a breach of that relationship. That breach occurred, according to the summons, because the center failed to investigate whether employees were following protocols, failed to supervise employees to prevent injury to residents, failed to establish rules for safe interactions with residents, and failed to take steps to encourage residents to report inappropriate activities involving other residents.
The suit is seeking at least $15,000 in monetary damages, punitive damages, and any other legal or equitable relief the court deems appropriate.
“It is now clear from our investigation that the serious problems at this facility go back several years. And while public statements of contrition have been made in the press and at the legislature by representatives of this business, their actions and the actions of their liability insurance carriers have made it clear that they place the blame for these events squarely on these minor children. It is really incredible.” said attorney Tim O’Keefe, who filed the lawsuit. “We intend to seek full justice for the grievous harm that this fourteen-year-old girl suffered as a result of the serious neglect shown by the operators of this facility.”
This is the second lawsuit the Bridge Family Center, which operated the facility, is facing. Another lawsuit filed in Superior Court in September 2023 alleged that another 14-year-old girl who was housed there was physically assaulted and exposed to dangerous conditions.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF), which contracted with the Bridge Family Center for the operation of the Harwinton STAR Home and three other similar youth shelters, announced in November 2023 that it would close the Harwinton facility. The announcement followed an investigation by Inside Investigator that documented numerous incidents at the home and a hearing in front of the legislature’s Committee on Children in which DCF and members of The Bridge Family Center testified.
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