MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee family is suing leaders within Milwaukee Public Schools claiming they failed to protect their daughter from sexual abuse.
The student's mother agreed to an interview to raise awareness and in an effort to prevent it from happening again.
TMJ4 referred to the mother by the initials E.C. to conceal the family's identity to protect the victim.
"She didn’t deserve that at all," E.C. said tearfully. "I see the changes in her, and I just be like I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
WATCH: Milwaukee family files a lawsuit over sexual misconduct at MPS
A mother filled with pain three years after her young daughter was sexually assaulted several times by a middle school teacher.
It happened at Andrew Douglas Middle School in Milwaukee between March and May of 2022.
When school leaders called the victim's parents in May 2022, E.C. said she had no clue what they wanted to discuss. E.C. and the victim's father tell TMJ4 they learned about the misconduct after arriving at the school.
"I was running with so many emotions. I try to keep it together as best as I could for my daughter. I didn't want her to see me angry or see me crying."
Lonnie Steele was working as a social studies teacher at the time. Now, he is serving time in state prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of Child Enticement-Sexual Contact.
The victim's family filed a civil lawsuit against Steele, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, as well as, the principal and assistant principal at the middle school at the time.
"As a parent, my heart just absolutely broke," the family's attorney Kristen Lojewski said.
The lawsuit alleges school leaders failed to provide a safe environment for the victim despite knowing about the misconduct.
"He was finding ways to remove her from other classes, to bring her over to his classroom, that was known," Lojewski stated. "There were just many, many signs that MPS should have done something differently."
The suit alleges Steele filed a behavioral report in April 2022 acknowledging the inappropriate physical interaction with the student, yet no corrective action was taken. It claims an appropriate investigation would have prevented at least some of Steele's sexual abuse and grooming.
"These acts continued to happen from April until near the end of the school year until my client was brave enough to come forward," Lojewski said.
E.C. said her daughter is not the same playful and social person that she used to be. She is sharing their story now in hopes of helping others.
"Do whatever you can to protect your kids because of people that you think are going to protect your kids for you are not," E.C. stated.
A spokesperson for MPS said they do not comment on ongoing litigation.
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