Doe, Jane vs. The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Collin Henry, and Lynford Foreman
The alleged misconduct took place at the prestigious Bronx private institution, following volleyball training sessions, during cinema outings, and within the victim’s residence, initiated when she was 17 years old.
According to our filing, Doe states that the improper conduct commenced in November 2004, when Henry transported her, without supervision, from the Bronx to Queens twice weekly for club volleyball sessions. She stated that Henry “systematically broke down the professional boundaries between coach and student” through sexual innuendos and intimate disclosures.
Doe asserts that Henry’s conduct intensified in May 2005, when he reportedly instructed her to join him in his vehicle during school hours, where he allegedly stated that “New York’s age of consent is 17” and thus he “wouldn’t face imprisonment” if he initiated a sexual relationship with her.
Upon reaching 17 in the spring of 2005, the wedded father reportedly told her she was “mature enough” for intimate relations, noting he wouldn’t face jail but might lose his position, our lawsuit states.
After she turned 18, Henry allegedly began sexually assaulting her, declining to use protection and instructing her to “endure” the discomfort, according to her legal claim.
Doe alleges that school personnel knew about the misconduct and even spread rumors and made light of it.
“Justice means uncovering the truth and demanding accountability from the individuals and the institution — the school where our client spent the entirety of her grade school years — that should have protected her but failed to do so,” she continued. “Our client filed this lawsuit to obtain this form of justice to the fullest extent of the law.”