arrow left
arrow right
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
  • N. J. S. an infant, by and through her Parent and Natural Guardian, Michele Sardo, and, Michele Sardo Individually v. West Seneca Central School District, West Seneca Central School District Board Of Education, West Senior High SchoolTorts - Other Negligence (Negligent Supervision) document preview
						
                                

Preview

FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT : COUNTY OF ERIE NJ.S., an infant, by and through his VERIFIED BILL OF Parent, and Natural Guardian, PARTICULARS MICHELE SARDO, and MICHELE SARDO, Individually, Index No.: 805265/2020 Plaintiff, -VS.- WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, Defendants. 1. May 10, 2019, and approximately two (2) weeks prior to May 10, 2019, fmm 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 2. Basement of West Senior High School, located at 3330 Seneca Street, West Seneca, New York 14224. 3. On or about May 10, 2019, the infant was subjected to sexual assault, oral and vaginal rape, forcible touching, and sexual and physical assault and abuse; and approximately two (2) weeks prior to May 10, 2019, at or near the same location, the infant plaintiff was subjected to sexual assault and/or abuse, forcible touching, and physical assault. 4. Upon information and belief, the School Defendants, their agents, servants and/or FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 employees, were negligent in: failing to properly supervise, maintain, operate and control the premises in question; that they allowed pupils, like the infant Plaintiff, to enter and/or access the basement without adequate supervision and/or walk the hallways of the subject school after school without proper supervision, management, control and/or security, thus creating a dangerous and hazardous condition, which they knew or in exercise of reasonable care, should have known existed for some period of time; that they failed to properly supervise the infant Plaintiff and other pupils; that they failed to provide sufficient and proper protection and safeguards for pupils, like the infant PlaintifE lawfully walking the hallways of the premises after school; that they failed to provide sufficient and proper protection and safeguards to keep pupils, like the infant Plaintiff from entering and/or accessing the basement of the subject school and/or being lured into the basement by another student; that they failed to properly supervise the infant Plaintiff after school; that they failed to formulate, implement and carry out policies regarding the monitoring and supervision ofpupils after school; thatthey failed to have appropriate policies and/or procedures in place regarding the activities of students after school and/or students remaining on the premises after school and/or keep students from entering and/or accessing the subject basement; that they failed to appropriately hire, retain, train, monitor, staff students' and/or otherwise supervise employees, or agents thereof, to ensure its safety after school; that they failed to have competent, skillful and experienced employees and/or agents as supervisors, teachers, monitors and/or security guards; that they failed to have a sufficient number of individuals present to properly care for and supervise their pupils after school, like the infant Plaintiff and her perpetrator; that their employees, or agents, so employed, were incompetent, unskillful, and/or inexperienced; that they acted, or failed to act, so as to cause the FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 infant Plaintiff to be sexually assaulted and/or physically attacked, including without limitation Defendants' the School failure to reasonably and adequately supervise, control, and/or monitor their pupils, including without limitation the infant Plaintiff and/or the perpetrator who committed the sexual assault and/or physically attacked the infant Plaintift thereby causing the serious, painful, and permanent injuries and other damages hereinafter alleged; that they allowed Defendants' sexual assault and/or abuse to persist in the School school, whereby the infant Plaintift upon information and belief, had been victimized prior to the incident complained of herein in the same location of the building; that they failed to properly respond to prior incidents involving physical and/or sexual assault and/or abuse in the school basement; that they failed to correct conditions which were dangerous to pupils after school prior to and on the day of the physical and/or sexual assaults; that they failed to warn or otherwise notify the infant Plaintiff of the dangerous condition(s) after school; that they created a dangerous condition(s) after school at the subject school by allowing the subject basement to remain accesible; that they had actual notice of dangerous condition(s) at the subject school after school hours; that they had constructive notice of that dangerous condition(s) at the subject school; that they failed to correct the dangerous condition(s) despite having sufficient time to do so; that the school Defendants knew or should have known of the dangerous propensities of the perpetrator of said assualt and attack, yet Defendants failed to take appropriate action remedy said dangerous conditions and/or conduct and/or ensure the safety and well-being of the infant plaintif¶ including the infant plaintiff having been victimized and lured into the basement of the subject school by the perpetrator on a prior occasion; and for other negligent acts and/or omissions which may be detennined throughout the course of discovery, all of which was a substantial factor in bringing about the infant plaintiff's injuries. FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 Upon information and belief the school had notice of the aforementioned dangerous condition(s) (i.e. access to subject basement and lack of supervision and/or inadequate supervision in said basement), as another student in the school had been victimized and subjected to sexual assault and/or abuse in the basement on or about Apirl 10, 2015. Plaintiffs reserve the right to supplement and/or amend this Response as information, which is currently solely in the possession of Defendants, is disclosed in accordance with the CPLR and during the course of discovery. 5. Upon information and belief, plaintif N.J.S. suffered the injuries: following symptoms of PTSD and anxiety; hypervigilance; dissociation; avoidance; intrusive and irrational thoughts; change of sleep and appetite; depressed mood; PTSD with depersonalization dissociative features and generalized anxiety disorder; severe change in personality and behavior; lack of sleep; cutting; loss of motivation; psychomotor agitation; suicidal self ideation; harm; poor concentration; avoidance of daily activities; feelings of hopelessness; isolation; nightmares; aggravation and/or activation of previously asymptomatic pre-existing undedying anxiety; and that plaintiff was made more susceptible to injury due to pre-existing underlying latent mental health conditions. Upon information and belief, the infant plaintiff's injuries in all respects, are, permanent, progressive, and ongoing in-nature. In addition to all of the injuries stated above, plaintif has been injured in that her general quality of life and usual and customary daily activities have been severely hindered, impaired, and damaged by virtue of the injuries which she sustained, together with the consequences of those injuries, and she is unable to engage in many of those usual both physical and activities, mental, which previously provided her with satisfaction and enjoyment. plaintiff will be Further, FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 claiming past, present and future pain and suffering. Plaintifs reserve the right 10 supplement this response as treattnent continues. Further, upon information and belief, plaintiff will require future care and treatment, including but not limited to medical appointments, therapy, evaluation and/or medication. Upon information and belief, plaintiff MICHELE SARDO sustained the loss of services, society and consortium of her daughter, NJ.S. 5. Upon information and belief, plaintif was intennittently confined to bed and/or home during her period of convalescence as will be testified to by plaintif more fully at her deposition. 6. The precise amount of money which plaintif has expended for physiciaus, medicines, hospital expenses, medical supplies, etc., is presently unknown and/or subject to expert opinion not yet ascertained. Further, upon information and belief, this information is available to defendant pursuant to duly executed authorizations peanitting her to obtain plaintiE's records. Plaintif Twill also endeavor to compile this information and medical/billing will supplement this response as appropriate during the pendency of this action. Further, the infant plaintif will be claiming past and future medical costs, which will be subject to expert opinion not yet ascertained. 7. Upon information and belief, not applicable. defendants' "8'' 8. Plaintiffs object to demand at Paragraph as improper and beyond the scope of CPLR 3043. Notwithstanding said information, plaintifs will provide said information to Defendants over the phone. defendants' "9" 9. Plaintiffs object to demand at Paragraph as improper and beyond the scope of CPLR 3043. Notwithstanding said objection, Plaintifs will request the trial court to FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 take notice of and charge each and every statute, rule, regulation, law, violation, code, and/or ordinance which will be shown by the proof at trial to have been violated by the School Defendants. 10. See plaintiff's response in Paragraph "3". 10. Not applicable. defendants' "11" 11. Plaintiffs object to demand at Paragraph as improper and beyond the scope of CPLR 3043. plaintiffs' 12, See response in Paragraph "4". plaintiffs' 13. See response in Paragmph "4". defendants' "14" 14. Plaintiff objects to demand at Paragraph as improper and beyond the scope of CPLR 3043. plaintiffs' 15. See response in Paragraph "3". plaintiffs' 16. See response in Paragraph "4". plaintiffs' 17. 5ee response in Paragraph "4". plaintiffs' 18. See response in Paragraph "5". DATED: Buffalo, New York November 16, 2020 Josep .1ticastro, Esq. R WOLFF NICASTRO HALL Attorneys for Plaintifs 350 Main Street, Suite 2140 Buffalo, New York 14202 (716) 848-800 FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 TO: Louis B. Dingeldey, Esq. BAXTER SMITH & SHAPIRO, RC. Attorneys for Defendants 182 Dwyer Street West Seneca, New York 14224 FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 VERIFICATION STATE OF NEW YORK ) ) ss: COUNTY OF ERIE ) MICHELE SARDO, being duly sworn, deposes and says that she is a plaintiff in this action; that she has read the foregoing Verified Bill of Particulars in this action and knows the contents thereof; that the same is true to the knowledge of deponent, except as to the matters therein stated to be alleged on information and belief, and that as to those matters, she believes it to be true. MICHELE SARDO Sworn to before me this If day of nr; ( , 2028 FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT : COUNTY OF ERIE N.J.S., an infant, by and through his PLAINTIFF'S FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL .. Parent, and Natural Guardian, VERIFIED BILL OF PARTICULARS MICHELE SARDO, and MICHELE SARDO, Individually, Index No.: 805265/2020 Plaintiff, -vs.- WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, Defendants. WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, Third-Party Plaintiffs -vs- CHRYSTLER LEE STORTS, MICHAEL JAMES STORTZ BARBARA ANNE STORTZ, and HEATHER THIBEALT a/lda HEATHER A. STORTZ, Third-Party Defendants PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that plaintiff, N.J.S., an infant, by and through her, Parent, and Natural Guardian, MICHELE SARDO, and MICHELLE SARDO, Individually, by and 1 FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 through their attorneys, Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall, LLC, as and for their Verified Supplemental Bill of Particulars in response to the demand of the Defendants, states as follows: 1. Plaintiffs hereby repeat, reaffirm, and re-allege their Verified Bill of Particulars dated November 16, 2020, with the same force and effect as though more fully set forth herein. A copy is attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit A. Defendants' 2. In further response to the demand for Bill of Particulars at Paragraph "4", the School Defendants were further negligent, reckless, and careless: » In having knowledge, and actual and constructive notice of prior similar sexual conduct at or near the area where the subject incident occurred, to wit, an incident that occurred on the ground floor of the school known to the Defendants as the "basement" of the school on or about April 10, 2015, involving former students D.B. and J.O., whereby J.O. was sexually assaulted by D.B., and engaged in conduct that was sexual, disruptive, insubordinate or disorderly, said conduct endangered the safety, morals, health or welfare of others; > In having knowledge, and actual and constructive notice of prior similar sexual conduct at the exact same place or near the area where the subject incident occurred, to wit, an incident that occurred on the ground floor of the school "basement" known to the Defendants as the of the school on or about April 5, 2019, involving former students D.Alt and G.A.M., whereby both students were engaged in a sexual act on school grounds, and engaged in sexual, disruptive, insubordinate or disorderly, conduct and engaged in conduct that endangered the safety, morals, health or welfare of others; > In that Defendants could have reasonably anticipated an incident like the Plaintiff's occurring having had knowledge, and actual and constructive notice of prior similar incidents that were sexual, disruptive, insubordinate and/or disorderly and endangered the safety, morals, health or welfare of others, including without limitation the Plaintiff; > In that Defendants could have reasonably anticipated an incident like the Plaintiff's occurring in that they failed to correct the subject conditions, which allowed students to occupy, linger, conceal themselves in, and loiter in the subject area to engage in sexual, disruptive, insubordinate and/or disorderly conduct that endangered the safety, morals, health or welfare of others, including without limitation the Plaintiff; In that Defendants could have reasonably anticipated an incident like the Plaintiff's occurring in that they continued to allow students to access the ground 2 FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 11/01/2023 01:43 PM INDEX NO. 805265/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 86 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/01/2023 "basement" floor of the school known to the Defendants as the of the school, in and around the area where the subject incident occurred, without any supervision, control and/or monitoring by Defendants; In that supervision by the School Defendants could have prevented the subject incident given that the Defendants had knowledge, along with actual and constructive notice of prior similar incidents that occurred on the ground floor of "basement" the school known to the Defendants as the of the school that were sexual, disruptive, insubordinate and/or disorderly, incidents that endangered the safety, morals, health or welfare of others, including without limitation the Plaintiffs; In that the School Defendants could have prevented the subject incident following the prior similar incidents by: installing cameras and other surveillance in and around the area where the subject incident and other prior incidents occurred; having teachers, faculty, staff or security personnel monitor the area in and around where the incident and prior incidents occurred; installing a barrier to keep students out of the area where the subject incident occurred; and having other protections and safeguards in place; In permitting a sexually depraved environment and an environment that allowed Defendants' Defendants' sexual abuse to persist in the subject school and/or in the school district in that there was a pattern and practice of permitting such an Defendants' environment to persist under supervision, as evidenced by: o In 2007, Anthony Harper, a teacher at East Middle charged with sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy, and a second incident involving Mr. Harper emerged in 2020; o In 2012, West Seneca substitute teacher Timothy Bek sentenced to being thirty (30) years in prison for child pornography involving students; o In 2016, male students at West High School took nude photos of female students, put them in a DropBox account and tried to sell the password to other students; and o In 2019, David Calaiacovo, a retired school psychologist in the West Seneca schools, was charged with possession of child pornography (The 61-year-old possessed and received sexually explicit images of rninors, some as young as 3 years old); and Having had knowledge, and actual and constructive notice of the incidents involving DropBox, Harper, Bek and Calaiacovo, failing to take any measures and/or precautions to prevent future incidents of sexual