Victim files lawsuit in Prince George's County school volunteer child porn case

GLENARDEN, Md. - One of the alleged victims in the child porn and sexual abuse case involving a Prince George's County school volunteer has filed a lawsuit against the CEO of Prince George's County Public Schools, the principal of Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School and 22-year-old suspect Deonte Carraway.

The lawsuit arises from an investigation of Carraway, who has been charged with 10 counts of felony child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree sexual offense. Carraway was a school volunteer at Glenarden elementary school.

Carraway is accused of taking videos of children performing sexual acts on each other under his direction. Police said the videos were produced at the elementary school and also at Glenarden Municipal Center, Theresa Banks Memorial Aquatic Center and in private homes.

Police said there are eleven known victims ranging from 9 to 13 years old.

The lawsuit claims parents and teachers expressed concerns about Carraway's reported predatory behavior with children to Woods Elementary School principal Michelle Williams, but she took no action as she claimed there was no proof.

But David Simpson, the attorney representing the victim and family who prompted the investigation, said they showed proof of Carraway's behavior to the principal and they were put off.

"This kind of flagrant, overt type of activity that was going on, having an individual pull children from the class randomly, and from what we are finding out about where within the school some of these activities were occurring, it was certainly a case where the principal should have known and been aware," said Simpson.

He said the victim's family contacted him on Monday. They are filing a civil lawsuit against Carraway, Williams and Prince George's County Public Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell.

The lawsuit describes Carraway told victims they would be participating in a club to help persuade them to engage in sexual acts on camera and on campus.

The 9-year-old victim's uncle reportedly discovered inappropriate messages between Carraway and the victim, including pictures and more on the victim's cell phone.

The lawsuit says the victim's uncle contacted the school's administration, including the principal, and met with them last Thursday. After that meeting, Williams reportedly told the victim's uncle to come back the next day for another meeting. Instead, the uncle called the police that night.

"I can say that we removed the principal out of an abundance of caution," said Maxwell. "When people say things to us, we don't necessarily have to wait until the entire answer is out. We can take proactive steps."

When asked about the lawsuit at a news conference held Wednesday evening, Maxwell said they had yet to be served and could not comment.