A lawsuit was filed by the mother of an intellectually disabled girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted after being led from school grounds by three male students. The legal action targets Starbucks, Pittsburgh Public Schools, and property management company 101 Kappa Drive Associates #1, accusing them of negligence.

The lawsuit contends that Taylor Allderdice High School personnel failed to adequately supervise and care for the girl, both during school hours and transportation. It further claims that Starbucks and 101 Kappa Drive Associates #1 were aware of rising crime issues near their establishments but did not provide security or proper employee training to address and report criminal activities.

According to the lawsuit, the 15-year-old girl was led off campus by three male students in October 2022. Starbucks employees allegedly witnessed the students entering the bathroom with the girl but did not intervene. The assault reportedly took place in an empty building managed by Kappa. The girl’s mother was informed days later when the girl was found crying at school, leading to a medical examination confirming signs of sexual assault.

Despite reporting the assault to the police, charges were not filed more than a year later. The lawsuit criticizes Pittsburgh Public Schools for failing to create a safe environment and Starbucks and Kappa for not protecting the girl from violence.

Starbucks responded, expressing urgency in supporting law enforcement during their investigation and emphasizing the goal of keeping stores safe. Kappa did not provide a contact number, and Pittsburgh Public Schools declined to comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit highlights the girl’s intellectual disabilities and alleges that she was left unsupervised during her early months at the high school. Safety measures were reportedly not enforced, and the tardy policy was not applied due to her disabilities. The lawsuit contends that the school allowed the male teens unrestricted access to the girl when they led her off campus.

Incidents of student-based violence and negative activities were reportedly known to school officials, with a fight occurring at the bus stop a month before the assault. The lawsuit claims that Starbucks and Kappa failed to respond to these issues by not implementing policies or employee training and lacking security measures during high traffic times. Business owners in the same building had reported various problems, urging the school district to move the bus stop during board meetings.