ROCHESTER — A woman is suing the Rochester YMCA after she was sexually assaulted at the facility in 2018.
Lawsuit says Rochester YMCA failed to protect teen from sexual assaults
Plaintiff says staff were negligent, didn't supervise common areas where assaults took place.
June 15, 2022 at 8:38PM
The woman claims in a lawsuit filed earlier this month that the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities, now known as the YMCA of the North, was negligent and failed to supervise common areas where she was assaulted as a 15-year-old.
The suit is seeking at least $50,000 in damages.
According to the lawsuit, the woman and her twin sister were assaulted several times by a 15-year-old male at the Rochester YMCA in April and May 2018. The suit lists five incidents.
The teenage boy pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual assault in June 2019 over one of the incidents included in the lawsuit.
YMCA of the North officials said in a statement that Rochester YMCA staff immediately contacted police after they were notified of the assaults and cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation, including turning over video.
"The safety of our children and teens is a number one priority at the YMCA and we are, and will continue, to do everything in our power to protect our members and participants," YMCA officials said in the statement.
The lawsuit alleges the YMCA "breached its duty of care and protection and failed to protect [the woman] from harm by creating an unsafe environment where customers are inadequately supervised during routine activities."
The Rochester YMCA closed in January, citing the pandemic and other issues. The facility had become part of the YMCA of the North in 2017.
