BENTONVILLE — The guardian of a disabled woman is suing Pathfinder in connection with the woman’s sexual assault by a coach.
Fayetteville attorney Matthew L. Lindsay filed the lawsuit Thursday in Benton County Circuit Court against Pathfinder and its insurance company, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company.
Rick Stripling with Pathfinder said in an email Friday that Pathfinder had no comment on the lawsuit.
Ricky Carson Sr. was a coach at Pathfinder in Cave Springs. He was responsible for supervising and caring for disabled women, according to court documents.
He was arrested Feb. 17, 2012, in connection with the sexual abuse of a woman under his supervision.
Carson pleaded guilty in September to two counts of sexual assault in the second degree and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He admitted to inappropriately touching the woman. Carson is housed at the Arkansas Department of Correction’s North Central Unit in Calico Rock.
The disabled woman has autism, Williams Syndrome and has the mental and cognitive abilities of a small child, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit states the woman began attending Pathfinder on Jan. 16, 2012. The next day she returned home from Pathfinder acting erratic and upset. According to the complaint, the woman reported the “coach,” later identified as Carson, went into the bathroom with her at Pathfinder.
According to the complaint, the guardian informed a special education staff member in the Huntsville School District of the woman’s claims and was told Pathfinder wouldn’t allow such conduct and the woman was safe in the program.
The lawsuit claims on Jan. 23, 2012, the woman was upset and didn’t want to go to Pathfinder. She talked about the “touching game” she played with Carson.
Her guardian again contacted Huntsville school officials and reported the allegations. School officials then planned to inform and meet with Pathfinder representatives about the allegations, according to the complaint. The lawsuit claims a meeting took place and the guardian was advised the allegations couldn’t be true and there were safeguards in place.
The lawsuit states the woman returned home and again talked about playing the “touching game” with the coach. She made similar allegations the next day and was taken to a doctor, who advised she not go back to Pathfinder. The doctor contacted police and adult protective services, according to the lawsuit.
Cave Springs police obtained a surveillance video introduced as evidence against Carson during criminal proceedings.
The lawsuit claims Pathfinder failed to exercise reasonable care in providing services to a special-needs adult it knew functioned with the mental capacity of a small child.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages. The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Robin Green.