LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) - The Lansing School District will pay more than $400,000 to settle lawsuits filed by two women who were sexually assaulted at Eastern High School.
Documents filed in federal court show Adriana Presas will get $225,000. FOX 47 News is using her name because she spoke publicly about the rape during an event in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday. Presas was raped by Edward Jackson in a vehicle on the Eastern High School campus in September of 2014. She sued the District, claiming administrators refused to respond and then created a hostile environment when informed that she was being threatened and harassed for reporting the rape. Jackson later pleaded guilty to 3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and is serving 7 to 15 years in prison.
The second lawsuit was filed by a plaintiff listed as Jane Doe in court documents. She was assaulted by a special-needs student in a stairwell at Eastern High School in October of 2015. She says District administrators suspended her and accused her of being a willing participant after watching surveillance video of the incident. The lawsuit claims they then admitted she was assaulted but did not reverse the suspension, saying she didn't fight back or try to get away. The District agreed to pay around $180,000 to settle. The attacker was allowed to plead guilty to Indecent Exposure.
