Child attacked by guards at Allentown middle school, lawsuit alleges

Several security guards at Raub Middle School attacked a child two years ago, according to allegations in a recently filed lawsuit.

The student did not pose any threat to the guards when they were attacked in October 2022, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in federal court by a woman on behalf of the child, names Allentown School District, Raub Middle School, Principal Jose Delgado, then-Superintendent John Sanford, and 10 unnamed security guards.

The lawsuit states that the child was "needlessly and senselessly attacked" on Oct. 14, 2022, by 10 security guards. The child, then 4-foot-11, weighing 80 pounds, suffered severe orthopedic, neurologic and emotional injuries, according to the complaint.

The complaint filed with the lawsuit does not detail what led to the alleged attack, nor does it indicate the connection between the woman who filed the lawsuit and the child. The child's age and gender are not included either.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $50,000.

A message left for Jerry Lindheim, who is listed as the plaintiff's attorney, was not immediately returned Wednesday.

In a statement, the school district noted the alleged incident happened prior to Carol Birks being named as superintendent a few months later.

"The alleged incident occurred in early October 2022, before Dr. Birks joined the Allentown School District. Since assuming leadership, Dr. Birks and her administration have continued to prioritize the safety and well-being of every student in the district," the district said in a statement.

"The Allentown School District takes any allegations of compromised student safety very seriously, regardless of when they were made. As this matter is subject to litigation, we are unable to provide further comment at this time," the statement continued.

The lawsuit was originally filed in Lehigh County Court in October, but it was transferred to federal court earlier this month.