Georgetown, SC - It has been alleged that children aged 7 to 11 were sexually abused by Sulaymaan Benoit, a Green Charter School of the Midlands employee, during the school's after-school program. Three families of the victims have filed federal lawsuits against the school and the South Carolina Public Charter School District, alleging that the school and the district failed to protect the victims and showed a pattern and practice of deliberate indifference toward sexual assault.
The plaintiffs also claim that school employees, including principal Dr Tina Shaw, knew about Benoit's abuse and failed to report it to police as required by law. Shaw was arrested on February 26, 2025, and charged with failure to report child abuse, and Benoit was later charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor under 11.
A lawsuit filed by the victim’s attorneys, including James B. Moore III of Evans Moore, LLC, describe abuse ranging from unwanted touching and groping to forced oral sex and detailed repeated attempts by Shaw and other school officials to ignore or downplay the allegations rather than report them. Following the arrests, Executive Director Tom Cronin defended Shaw in a letter to parents, which the attorneys argue that the school district, as the school's sponsor, is equally responsible for failing the victims.
In public statements, the victims’ attorneys emphasized the lifelong trauma these children will carry and called attention to the district's deliberate indifference. They also noted that school officials, according to the lawsuits, knowingly failed to notify law enforcement. Copies of the lawsuits are available for public review.
The legal team at Evans Moore, LLC brings extensive experience to serious personal injury and civil rights cases across South Carolina. Founding partner James B. Moore III has practiced law in the state since 2008 and has secured numerous record-setting verdicts and settlements on behalf of victims. Before founding the firm, the personal injury lawyer in South Carolina served as a judicial law clerk, gaining valuable insight into both civil and criminal proceedings - experience that continues to guide the firm's client-centered, trauma-informed approach.
Together with co-founder Scott C. Evans and a dedicated team of attorneys, the child sexual abuse lawyer in South Carolina leads a firm committed to giving victims a voice and holding institutions accountable. The attorneys are widely recognized for their work on sensitive, high-stakes cases involving abuse, negligence, and systemic failures. They have earned national attention for their results, recovering more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements for clients across South Carolina.
About Evans Moore, LLC
Evans Moore, LLC serves the local communities of Georgetown and Charleston, as well as the entire state of South Carolina. Attorneys Scott C. Evans and James B. Moore III have worked directly for the court system for many years and handle each case, which has earned them a national reputation for achieving results with over $100 million in verdicts and settlements.
Media Contact
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Evans Moore, LLC
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121 Screven St
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Georgetown
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SC
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29440
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USA
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https://www.evansmoorelaw.com/