VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Volusia County family is in a legal battle with Edgewater Alliance Church and Warner Christian Academy over a sex abuse scandal that rocked the campus three years ago.
The family, who 9 Investigates is not identifying in an effort to protect their young son, told Channel 9 investigative reporter Daralene Jones that their son was one of the victims abused by Matthew Graziotti.
Graziotti is a former teacher who was convicted on federal child pornography charges. Federal agents found that Graziotti created and shared child pornography through a file sharing service and some of the victims were children Graziotti knew at Warner Christian Academy, according to the federal complaint. Graziotti is now serving a prison sentence of more than 200 years.
Eyewitness News has never talked to any of the families, but the man only known as "James Doe" in the civil lawsuit filed on behalf of his son, told us he is speaking out to try and shine a light on the disturbing act of sex abuse against children.
"The one head shot picture that they showed of my child was on Matt's leather couch," James Doe said.
The family is suing Edgewater Alliance Church and White Chapel Church of God doing business as Warner Christian Academy; several other families have also sued the private school.
More than a year since the family filed their civil lawsuit, it still hasn't been settled.
"I'm kind of, trying to use the right word, ticked off that nobody in the school or the church did certain things to assure the safety of my child," James Doe said.
An attorney for the South Daytona Beach private school filed a response to the lawsuit, denying a majority of the claims. A response from the church, in part, places blame on the child and his parents, saying, "Defendant states that the plaintiff was comparatively negligent by virtue of his actions prior to and at the time of the incident, assumed the risk of a known or what should have been known if proven to be dangerous condition and otherwise his injuries and damages were solely and/or approximately in whole or in part caused by actions representing comparative negligence under Florida Law."
Attempts to clarify the defense with the church attorney were unsuccessful. But the family's lawyer argues the school failed to check Graziotti's background.
"They didn't call prior employers. They didn't check his prior history. If they had, red flags would've popped up from Michigan to their own backyard. It conflicts with any Christian value that any of us have. You've never once picked up the phone, and called our client before we ever were involved as lawyers and said we're sorry, is there anything we can do to help your child," Attorney Frank Kruppenbacher told Jones.
Warner Christian explains in the legal response it conducted an adequate pre-employment investigation, but it's unclear if that included calling previous employees, one of which asked him to leave his position as Youth Minister because his conduct with children went beyond normal parameters.
Edgewater police began an investigation of possible inappropriate conduct with children, but Graziotti was never arrested.
"Someone has to be held accountable and they can't point the finger at the parent," James Doe told Jones.
The church marketing and development hasn't yet responded to 9 Investigates questions about the case. Court records showed that at least two other civil cases against the church and school have been settled. There are others still making it through the court system.
Cox Media Group
