A developmentally disabled woman who accused a staff member of the West Valley-Mission Community College District in Santa Clara settled with the school for $7.6 million.
According to Mark Boskovich, the civil attorney in the case, Raymond Ruiz, 70, was an instructional aide in the program for students with disabilities and is accused of sexually assaulting the plaintiff.
Boskovich also accuses Ruiz’s wife of covering up her husband since she was the co-director of the disability program.
The plaintiff, 26, was born legally blind, with cerebral palsy, and has an intellectual disability. She enrolled in Mission College in 2018. In 2020, Ruiz is accused of giving her alcohol in the classroom and raping her in a bathroom.
“The next day, he sexually assaulted her again,” alleges Boskovich.
In the original claim filed, attorneys allege that Ruiz “had a history” of engaging in inappropriate conduct with students. He was also alleged of “grooming” and making sexual innuendos. In 2016, attorneys claim that Ruiz touched the breast of a student with Down syndrome.
In October 2019, the plaintiff’s mother said she saw inappropriate text messages from Ruiz to her daughter, where he told her he “loved” her. He had also allegedly given her gifts, like a bracelet and clothes, and told her she was his “favorite” student.
Mission College acknowledged the settlement on Tuesday.
“We sincerely apologize to the victim and her family and hope that this settlement provides some measure of relief for their pain and suffering,” said Bradley Davis, Chancellor of the West Valley-Mission Community College District.
Ruiz was a licensed caretaker in the school’s disability program and was immediately fired after the allegations. He was arrested in July 2020 on suspicion of sexual assault.
Ruiz is charged with kidnapping to commit a sexual offense; rape by force, violence, duress, menace or fear; sexual penetration by force, violence, duress, menace or fear of bodily injury, and lewd or lascivious acts on a dependent person with the intent of appealing to passions.
