AutisticTeen sues boarding school

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A Texas minor diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder is suing Agape Boarding School, saying he was abused by students and staff at the southwest Missouri facility.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Cedar County Circuit Court, marked the third case in five days to allege abuse of a former student at the Christian boarding school. It accuses Agape Baptist Church — which operates Agape Boarding School — of negligence, infliction of emotional distress and battery by staff and other students.

“Instead, he suffered physical and mental abuse including being beaten and, in effect, tortured.”

Agape officials have not responded to repeated requests from The Star for comment on any of the stories it has published about the school since last fall.

When I.H. arrived at Agape Boarding School in February 2020, the lawsuit alleges, “a culture of pervasive physical, emotional, and sexual abuse existed at Agape Boarding School that was not disclosed to the parents of Plaintiff.”

While in Agape’s custody, the lawsuit says, I.H. was the victim of “multiple incidents of physical and emotional abuse” by Agape staff members and also by fellow students.

Agape knew about I.H.’s abuse, the lawsuit alleges, but the incidents were not adequately investigated or reported, and nothing was done to protect him from further assaults.

“As a direct and proximate result of Defendant Agape’s negligence, Defendant Agape caused or contributed to cause serious, permanent, and progressive injuries, medically diagnosable and significant emotional distress, mental anguish and injury, and damages to Plaintiff for which he has and will continue to need medical and psychiatric care and treatment,” the lawsuit says.