Teen Repeatedly Raped By JCC Gym Trainer, Lawsuit Alleges
The Aaron Family Jewish Community Center in Dallas. Image by Facebook
By Aiden Pink July 28, 2017
A woman is suing the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center in Dallas, alleging that a former fitness center employee repeatedly raped and molested her 14-year-old daughter.
The lawsuit, first reported by The Dallas Morning News, alleges that when the mother told JCC CEO Artie Allen about the behavior of a 24-year-old JCC employee toward her daughter, Allen replied, “It takes two to tango.”
The mother, child and employee are not identified in the lawsuit, which also targets Allen and the JCC Association of North America. But 24-year-old JCC trainer Randy Lee Adrian was arrested in August on two counts of sexual assault of a child. Police say Adrian is suspected of sexually assaulting a teenager he met at the JCC gym.
Adrian allegedly got the girl’s phone number by promising to send her diet and workout plans, but instead texted the teenager explicit photos. He is accused of repeatedly assaulting her over a 10-month span and threatening to kidnap her and her family if she told anyone.
The new lawsuit argues that the JCC was aware of the employee’s conduct, as two other girls had made complaints, but no internal investigation was launched. It also says that Adrian was not licensed or qualified to work in the gym, and that he would often “shar[e] New Testament scriptures with members, purportedly seeking to share his Christian faith [with the girl] and other minor members of the JCC of Dallas.”
In a statement, the JCC said it is “aware of the lawsuit. It takes the matter seriously and will respond accordingly. The JCC is committed to understanding the full and relevant story by a thorough investigation. With a pending lawsuit, the JCC has no further comment at this time.”
Contact Aiden Pink at pink@forward.com or on Twitter, @aidenpink.
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