LOS ANGELES (AP) - A chat room monitor hired to keep children safe from sexual predators seduced a teenage California girl online and was about to meet her for sex when he was found out by a co-worker, according to a lawsuit filed by the teenager.
According to the action filed April 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court, the online relationship began when the girl was 15 and living in California's Kern County. The two allegedly made plans to meet on her 17th birthday but were foiled when one of the monitor's co-workers grew suspicious and prevented the encounter.
America Online spokesman Nicholas Graham said the company fired the monitor and contacted authorities after learning of the situation in April 2003. The man has not been charged with a crime.
Graham added that the company puts its chat room monitors through "rigorous screening and training procedures," including a criminal background check.
The lawsuit charges AOL and its parent company, Time Warner Inc., with failing to supervise the employee and of falsely advertising that its online service was safe for children. It also charges the monitor, who was 23 when he met the girl online, with inflicting emotional distress upon her.
"He used her youth against her," the lawsuit said. "He stole from her. And as a result, she will bear emotional scars that will never completely heal."
The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages of more than $25,000 but does not give a specific dollar amount.
The teenager, who is now 19 and living in Los Angeles, waited two years to bring legal action because it was "a very confusing and painful time for her," said her lawyer, Olivier Taillieu.
According to the lawsuit, the AOL employee met the girl in a children's chat room he was monitoring and she began to confide in him about her parents' divorce and her trouble making friends. They communicated often, both online and by phone, according to the lawsuit, with the conversations and messages becoming increasingly explicit.
Eventually they had phone sex, according to the lawsuit, and were preparing to meet when the co-worker became suspicious and checked the monitor's computer.
Source: http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/12735203p-13587047c.html (registration required)
It is totally unbelievable that some adult who is responsible for the chatroom and yet he resorted to this... thing.
According to the action filed April 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court, the online relationship began when the girl was 15 and living in California's Kern County. The two allegedly made plans to meet on her 17th birthday but were foiled when one of the monitor's co-workers grew suspicious and prevented the encounter.
America Online spokesman Nicholas Graham said the company fired the monitor and contacted authorities after learning of the situation in April 2003. The man has not been charged with a crime.
Graham added that the company puts its chat room monitors through "rigorous screening and training procedures," including a criminal background check.
The lawsuit charges AOL and its parent company, Time Warner Inc., with failing to supervise the employee and of falsely advertising that its online service was safe for children. It also charges the monitor, who was 23 when he met the girl online, with inflicting emotional distress upon her.
"He used her youth against her," the lawsuit said. "He stole from her. And as a result, she will bear emotional scars that will never completely heal."
The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages of more than $25,000 but does not give a specific dollar amount.
The teenager, who is now 19 and living in Los Angeles, waited two years to bring legal action because it was "a very confusing and painful time for her," said her lawyer, Olivier Taillieu.
According to the lawsuit, the AOL employee met the girl in a children's chat room he was monitoring and she began to confide in him about her parents' divorce and her trouble making friends. They communicated often, both online and by phone, according to the lawsuit, with the conversations and messages becoming increasingly explicit.
Eventually they had phone sex, according to the lawsuit, and were preparing to meet when the co-worker became suspicious and checked the monitor's computer.
Source: http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/12735203p-13587047c.html (registration required)
It is totally unbelievable that some adult who is responsible for the chatroom and yet he resorted to this... thing.
..Maybe you're right...
