CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A lawsuit alleges sexual abuse from a teacher, abusing multiple kids in the same family, all from a Northwest Side Chicago Public school.
It all came to light when a victim, now a teenager, started self-harming.
That's when the family said they found out about the years of sexual abuse from Andrew Castro, a physical education teacher in the Avondale neighborhood school they attended. They claim Castro befriended and abused their family.
The lawsuit alleges Castro took advantage of the other victims, a brother and cousin, because the parents were immigrants. Castro was even hired to renovate their family home and gained their trust.
“They came here to make sure their kids can experience the American dream going forward,” attorney Bob Fioretti said. “Now, that dream has been shattered by what happened from this teacher, and, what we look at, a cover-up by the school system.”
Castro, now in jail without bond. The lawsuit claims he was not removed from the school and suspended until 2021 when other complaints of inappropriate touching surfaced.
According to the lawsuit, CPS sent out a vague email not saying which teacher or what the allegations were. With the parents in the dark, Castro kept seeing and abusing the three boys.
Chicago Public Schools’ top watchdog reported 470 sexual allegations from students against employees in 2022. But, the family's attorney believes that number is likely greater, as many people don't report what happened.
“CPS has failed to implement the best practices for their own investigators. Their process makes it nearly impossible for private groups and citizens to conduct their own inquiries there,” Fioretti added.
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