DC Preschool Accused Of Enabling Sexual Abuse Of Toddlers

WASHINGTON, DC -- The families of eight children, all between the ages of three and four, are accusing the Washington Hebrew Congregation preschool in D.C. of enabling them to be sexually abused.

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC issued a statement Tuesday accusing the Congregation's Edlavitch Tyser Early Childhood Center and its Head of Schools for Early Childhood Education, Deborah Schneider Jensen, of failing to protect children from a "known and avoidable risk of sexual abuse." They have filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of the families.

"The children who, with their parents, brought forth these allegations have implicated [NAME REDACTED], a teacher at the Congregation’s preschool, as their abuser," the statement reads. "[NAME REDACTED] was hired to teach and care for children despite having no professional background in teaching or providing child care. The crimes reported by both male and female children reveal that repeated and prolonged abuse occurred on the premises of the educational facility when [NAME REDACTED] was allowed and encouraged to be alone with the children individually and in small groups, a violation of D.C.’s 'two-deep' policy. The abuse included the most grievous, demeaning and damaging forms of sexual abuse."

CNN reports that police are conducting an ongoing investigation into the matter, and that the Washington Hebrew Congregation issued a statement saying it was "carefully reviewing the complaint."

The complaint was filed in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. It says the children endured "systemic, regular sexual abuse," and accuses the school administrators of neglecting their duty to protect the children.

"As detailed in the complaint, concerns related to [NAME REDACTED]’s behavior were reported to Jensen as early as one month into [NAME REDCATED]’s employment, and repeatedly thereafter, by both parents and teachers," the statement continues. "In fact, throughout his tenure, [NAME REDCATED] was observed by other teachers and parents to be engaging in behaviors towards children that could be part of a purposeful 'grooming' effort as a prelude to abuse.

"Concerns that [NAME REDACTED] was taking children alone to certain areas of the school, that he was sometimes late returning children after being alone with them and that co-workers were unable to locate him while he was alone with children were also shared with DJ Jensen, who allegedly rejected these and other concerns about [NAME REDACTED], her hire, as unfounded without initiating any type of investigation," the statement added.