Former Baltimore cop faces new civil lawsuit over sexual abuse at Maryland daycare
A new civil lawsuit seeks to hold former Baltimore police officer James Weems financially accountable for sexually abusing a child at the daycare his now ex-wife owned in Baltimore County.
Shanteari Weems, who has since changed her name to Shanteari Young, shot her husband after learning about the abuse. She is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren reports the parent of the child whose testimony led to James Weems' conviction is bringing legal action.
Hellgren spoke to her lawyer who is battling to get the child compensated for the emotional and sexual abuse she suffered.
"It has been devastating—a catastrophic experience," said attorney Jonathan Schochor. "These are lifelong injuries. Research has indicated it takes decades for some of these folks—these sexual abuse survivors when they are minors—to even be able to come forward, to even confront what happened. This young lady confronted what happened in court. Whether she can emotionally confront what happened in her life remains to be seen."
James Weems has been behind bars since his conviction in November for the abuse of the child at Lil' Kidz Kastle's Owings Mills location.
The civil lawsuit alleged negligence and false imprisonment of the young victim, who broke down in tears at the criminal trial.
The lawsuit said the girl has suffered nightmares and debilitating headaches.
Financial compensation
Schochor faces several challenges in collecting assets from the daycare in a civil lawsuit.
"We have to look at funds that are available in an effort to get this child compensated fully and fairly, and there are insurance policies," the attorney said. "There may be more than one. We don't know. There may be coverage in more than one area of each policy. There may be independent assets that the facility had, that its owners had or have."
Wife shot husband in confrontation
Not only is James Weems incarcerated, but a different judge put Shanteari Young behind bars after she shot him during a confrontation about the abuse at a Washington, D.C. hotel.
Many of her supporters believe she was trying to protect the children and her sentence was unfair.
Lawsuit alleges negligence
James Weems drove the daycare's van where the abuse happened.
The civil lawsuit alleged the daycare "should have known that defendant Weems was addicted to internet pornography and would habitually watch pornography every chance he had on each and every internet-connected device to which he had access"
It also said the daycare's management "should have known that defendant Weems was not fit to be near children without supervision…"
"They had to have safeguards. They had to have protocols to protect these children who are under their control, and they did not," Schochor said.
WJZ was unable to get comment from representatives of the defendants.
Sentencing ahead
James Weems is facing two life sentences and is scheduled to be sentenced next month for his criminal conduct.
Prosecutors left open the possibility they could bring more cases against him, as they believe there are more victims.
