The Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office recently charged 38-year-old Michael Patopie of Capitol Heights with second-degree child abuse, sex abuse of a minor, second-degree assault, and other sex offenses. The arrest comes months after the alleged abuse took place at James Ryder Randall Elementary School and was reported by a school bus driver to child protective services.
Attorney Scott Lucas of The Cochran Firm, D.C. is representing the family of one of the young victims harmed by Patopie.
“Today’s indictment is welcomed news for the families of these innocent children.” Said Lucas. “However, there is still more to be done and our office will work tirelessly to get justice for our clients and bring accountability to the Prince George’s County school system. Our communities deserve better than what has been going on recently and we will continue to work for change.”
In addition to representing the family of one of the victims of James Ryder, The Cochran Firm, D.C. also recently filed a lawsuit against Prince George’s County Schools on behalf of two other families whose children were abused by Deonte Carraway at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in separate incidences.
The PG County school sex abuse lawyers of The Cochran Firm, D.C. have absolutely no tolerance for the abuse, molestation, or sexual exploitation of children and aggressively prosecute claims on behalf of victims against those who commit such acts or allow them to happen.
The safety of our children should always be the top priority of teachers, administrators, and school systems as a whole. When school employees are not properly screened and supervised, the school system as a whole must be taken to task in order to correct such negligent behavior.
The situation at James Ryder Randall Elementary School marks the latest in a series of troubling events at PG County schools. As a law firm committed to social justice and protecting our communities, The Cochran Firm, D.C. strongly encourages families of abused children to contact our office to speak to one of our attorneys about their case.
The Cochran Firm, D.C. has years of experience handling these types of delicate cases and works hard to represent our clients with dignity and respect through these troubling times. For a completely free and confidential consultation, contact our office.
Call our office at 202-682-5800 during business hours or at 1-800-THE FIRM (843-3476) to reach us 24 hours a day.