Bailey Boone, a victim of sexual abuse by a former St. Francis High School softball coach, filed a lawsuit alleging the school and the Sacramento Catholic Diocese failed to protect her from St. Francis High School softball coach’s childhood sexual abuse of her. Boone, who is now in her 20s, stated that her former JV Softball coach, Michael Martis, worked to gain her trust and ultimately sexually abused her. Martis is currently serving a 4-year prison term for the criminal childhood sexual abuse of Boone (who was 16 at the time) and another minor he coached 10 years prior.
Boone stated that she never recovered from Martis’ childhood sexual of her and has suffered from mental and physical breakdowns over the years. Her lawsuit further alleges that the school and the Sacramento Catholic Diocese negligently supervised both Boone and Martis, which cultivated an environment that allowed Martis to groom Boone and ultimately, sexually abuse Boone.
Boone’s attorneys noted that, although student-teacher communication is restricted at school, coaches and players can freely exchange text messages. Martis befriended Boone by sending Boone text messages, which gradually escalated, becoming more and more sexualized.
To help others like her, Boone reaches out to victims of sexual predators, which she hopes will help her manage her own post-traumatic stress and move forward with her life.
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Sexual Abuse Attorneys in California
At the Law Offices of Joseph C. George, Ph.D. in California, we have been helping victims of childhood sexual abuse obtain the justice and compensation they deserve since 1986. We understand the long-term issues victims often face long after the abuse itself has ceased, which is why we are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and aggressively fighting for their best interests.
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