Molestation Victims Sue South Bay School District Over Wrestling Coach's Alleged Abuses

TORRANCE, CA - Attorneys for 18 boys who claim they were sexually abused by a former Torrance High School wrestling coach -- who is awaiting trial on criminal charges -- are suing the district for allegedly doing nothing to protect them.

The plaintiffs, who were students between 1990 and January 2015, allege that Thomas Joseph Snider "groped and fondled" them when they were under 18, according to the lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Snider was charged last year with 33 felony counts of inappropriately touching children and eight misdemeanor counts of child molestation involving 25 boys between the ages of 13 and 16 from September 2013 to January 2015.

Prosecutors added more charges over the next few months, alleging that he also had victimized children between 1991 and 1996.

Most of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit were wrestling team members at Torrance High from 2013 to 2015. Another was a student at Madrona Middle School when Snider allegedly sodomized him around 1990 and 1991.

Torrance Unified School District spokeswoman Tammy Khan said the lawsuits have been referred to the district's legal counsel.

"The Torrance Unified School District has cooperated with the Torrance Police Department in the investigation into the allegations of Mr. Snider's misconduct," Khan said.

"On Jan. 26, 2015, when a Torrance High School employee learned of possible inappropriate conduct by Mr. Snider, Torrance High School administration acted immediately, by placing Mr. Snider on administrative leave," she said. "The district immediately notified the Torrance Police Department."

The lawsuit alleges that Snider molested the victims by performing "skin checks" during which he "groped and fondled" their private parts for his "sexual gratification."

Plaintiffs' attorneys contend that district officials repeatedly failed to protect students from Snider.

"Torrance Unified School District will be held accountable in civil lawsuits where juries will hear that its administrators ignored allegations that Snider had sexually abused students, failed to inform law enforcement authorities and allowed Snider to remain in his coaching position which he used to victimize other children," said plaintiffs' attorney John Manly. "TUSD will be asked to compensate Snider's victims for their suffering."

--City News Service, photo courtesy of the Torrance Police Department