Encinitas middle-school student sues district, alleging molestation by campus staffer

A 12-year-old student who alleged that Diegueño Middle School staffer molested her is suing both the staffer and the coastal North County school district where he worked alleging several causes, including intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.

The lawsuit, filed in San Diego Superior Court earlier this week, targets San Dieguito Union High School District and now former campus supervisor Omar Hernandez Galeana, who already faces criminal charges accusing him of sexually assaulting the child in March.

Galeana was arraigned in Vista Superior Court on 12 charges, including two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years old, which carries a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison. Other charges include forcible lewd acts on a child and furnishing cannabis to a minor. He has pleaded not guilty.

The district said Friday, in part, it had not yet received the suit and could not offer comment “other than to confirm that when the allegations were brought to our attention last spring, we took immediate action to remove him from employment and work cooperatively with law enforcement so the facts could be gathered and justice may be served.”

The statement added: “We continue to hope that justice will be served in this sit...