LANCASTER, Pa. — Note: The video is from Nov. 12.
The parents of some of the students victimized in alleged child pornography offenses involving the use of artificial intelligence software to create nude images of them without their consent have filed a lawsuit against the Lancaster Country Day School, court records show.
The plaintiffs believe the school's mandated reporters failed to report an anonymous tip regarding AI-generated child pornography of students to law enforcement last year.
The tip was made through the youth violence prevention program Safe2Say Something in November 2023, one parent told FOX43 earlier this week.
Nearly 50 victims have come forward since and two suspects are being investigated, according to the parent.
More than 200 students participated in a school walkout on Friday, demanding change and more safety measures.
A writ of summons was filed on Wednesday by Matthew Faranda-Diedrich, Esq., in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.
Faranda-Diedrich, an attorney with the Philadelphia-based law firm Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC, names the parents of 11 victims as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, along with 35 other victims in the case.
All of the students were identified as Jane Does 1-46 in the lawsuit, which names Lancaster County Day School, headmaster Matthew Micciche, and Board of Trustees President Angela Ang-Alhadeff as defendants.
The suit was filed two days after Faranda-Diedrich sent the school a letter on behalf of the parents, calling for the resignations of Micciche and Ang-Alhadeff within 48 hours.
"Absent such resignations," the letter said. "The Board should call a Special Meeting by written request of five (5) Board member trustees consistent with the LCDS Bylaws, and at such a meeting exercise its power to remove Mr. Micciche as an employee, and Ms. Ang-Alhadeff as an Officer and Trustee."
The letter also called for LCDS to "undertake attorney-run mandated reporter training for all Board members, leaders, faculty and staff," and the school to "employ a full-time certified resource officer trained in these matters, to act as Director of Security and better ensure the safety of LCDS students."
The parents also called for LCDS to hire an IT forensics firm "to determine where precisely the offending images have been sent and/or currently reside," and that the school provide third-party counseling services from a reputable provider, available at no charge to all victims during school hours.
Finally, the letter called for LCDS to "commit to provide all necessary support for victims, whenever requested," and "that no further interaction with victims occur without prior written parent consent.”
There is no indication from LCDS that Micciche and Ang-Alhadeff have resigned, or that the Board voted to remove them.