A pastor and foster parent in Hesperia, CA has been arrested for sexually abusing two girls who are 10 and 16 years old. Jose Manuel Lozano was placed under arrest by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department on April 25, 2024 after an investigation into “allegations of continuous sexual abuse of minors by a foster parent and pastor of a local church,” according to a news release.
Lozano is being held on $5 million bail at the High Desert Detention Center, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities believe that there may be other victims, and they are asking anyone with information to contact Deputy Frankie Zavala at 760-947-1500. You can also file a report anonymously at wetip.com or by calling the WeTip hotline at 800-78-CRIME (27463).
So far, we know very little about this case, like the church where Lozano was serving as a pastor. We also have no information on how Lozano came in contact with these girls: were they members of his church? Were they placed in his home by a foster care agency? If so, was the church and/or foster care agency aware of what was happening to the girls, or should they have known about it? These are just some of the questions that we hope to find answers to in the upcoming weeks and months. But we may not find out the answers until more victims come forward with their accounts of how they were abused by Lozano.
As sexual abuse attorneys, our focus in on victims’ rights and helping them achieve justice through the court system. That’s why we encourage you to contact us and speak with a member of our legal team if you or someone you know was sexually assaulted or exploited by Jose Manuel Lozano. That way, you can learn about the legal options that are available to you, including a lawsuit for monetary damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and medical expenses.
We look forward to assisting you and fighting for the compensation you deserve by law. Please reach out to us for a free consultation on your rights as a victim of child sexual abuse.
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Suing the Church for Sexual Abuse by a Pastor
Nowadays, we are used to seeing stories in the news of pastors, priests, and other religious leaders being arrested for sexual misconduct. And you may have noticed that victims often file a lawsuit against the church or religious organization that the abuser belonged to.
The right to sue an organization for abuse by one of its members is based on the principle of vicarious liability. To put is simply, vicarious liability refers to the responsibility that a supervisory party has for the conduct of a subordinate. In many cases, this concept is applied to employer / employee relationships, but it can certainly be used in the context of a pastor and the church where he preaches.
While religious groups take pride in their close-knit community and how much they care for one another, sexual abuse is a taboo subject that many of them don’t talk about. In fact, many religions would rather hide allegations of abuse by pressuring the victim to stay silent instead of encouraging them to go to the police. In some cases, they may dismiss or transfer the abuser to another location, but this is not a solution that can provide solace and justice to the victim. It’s also worth noting that the abuser can simply move on to a new church and prey on a whole new set of victims.
Frankly, negligence by people in one’s own church is one of the worst betrayals imaginable, as it affects your spiritual beliefs as well as your ability to trust other people and engage in healthy relationships. Negligence by the church may be at the heart of why Jose Manuel Lozano got away with sexually abusing his victims for an extended period of time. If you are a victim of Lozano or any other official of a religious group, please take some time to discuss the legal actions you can take with a child sexual abuse lawyer.
Can I Sue the Foster Care Agency for Sexual Abuse by Jose Manuel Lozano?
This is another party that may be at fault for the abuse that was committed against the 10 and 16 year old girls that were abused by Jose Manuel Lozano. At this point, we don’t know whether these children were foster kids that were placed with Lozano. If they were, the agency that placed them, as well as the California Department of Social Services, would certainly have to be investigated.
It’s no secret that the state has a poor record when it comes to ensuring the safety and well-being of children that have been removed from their biological parents. Children are often preyed upon by child molesters, whether they are placed in a private foster home or in a residential group home. Sadly, many of these cases could have been prevented had the agencies done a better job screening their applicants.
Once the child is placed in the home, social workers have a legal duty to make a certain number of visits and interact directly with the child. This way, they can see how the child is being cared for and look for signs of neglect and physical / sexual abuse. But most of these workers are burdened with staggering caseloads, and as a result, they may lie about making visits or having seen the child at the home. In some cases, a child is simply left to fend for themselves in a nightmare situation month after month, while foster care administrators conspire with case workers to make it seem that the child is being supervised on a regular basis.
In all fairness, we understand the burden that is placed on foster care agencies that are struggling with understaffing and limited resources. But the laws are clear on the treatment and care that a foster child is entitled to, and their right to demand compensation when they are abused due to negligence by a broken system. This is why more and more foster children who were sexually abused are coming forward and filing claims against the state of California and the agencies that are in charge of foster care placements.
If you are a victim of foster care sexual abuse, you may have grounds to sue for the harm you suffered, even if the incidents occurred many years ago. Please take a moment to contact our office, where you can learn more about your rights from a foster care sexual abuse attorney.
Average Value of a Child Sexual Assault / Abuse Lawsuit
Lawsuits based on sexual abuse of a minor can have values ranging from $400,000 to $5,000,000 or more. We can narrow things down further by saying that incidents of assault (physical interactions of a sexual nature) between adults and minors usually have the highest settlement values. Based on factors like the long the victim was abused, the sexual acts that were involved, the degree of emotional trauma, etc., payments can range from $1,500,000 to $10,000,000.
But sexual abuse can also take place in the form of exploitation, like sexual trafficking, using a child to create pornographic images, and engaging in conversations with a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. These cases may have settlement values of $1,000,000 or less, but there are circumstances that can increase the amount you can receive from a sexual abuse lawsuit. For example, the abuse may have occurred over a long period of time due to social workers that failed to make regular visits and repeatedly failed to recognize the signs of child abuse. Gross negligence by foster care systems and other liable entities can enhance the value of a child sex abuse claim, no matter what type of abuse the victim was subjected to.
These are just some of the issues that will affect how much you are entitled to if you decide to sue for sexual abuse by that occurred while you were a minor. If you would like to find out what you can potentially receive from a lawsuit, contact us to schedule a free consultation.
How Long Do Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Take to Settle?
A lawsuit for sexual abuse, particularly those on behalf of child victims, takes 1 to 2 years to settle on average. In reality, the settlement process can range from a few weeks to 3 or more years. But the majority of lawsuits we have resolved over several decades took at least 12 months from start to finish, and this is based on many factors that may or may not apply to your situation. The evidence we are able to locate is a crucial element, as well as the victim’s willingness to admit liability. The individuals that can be sued are important as well, as certain entities (social services agencies, for example) have a heightened degree of responsibility to the welfare of a child.
Once we find out more about your case and the people that are involved, we can provide a better sense of how long it may take to settle a child sexual abuse case. For a free case review with a sexual assault lawsuit attorney, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Statute of Limitations to Sue for Sexual Abuse during Childhood
As with any lawsuit, there is a deadline for how long you have to file a sexual abuse lawsuit. If you were a child at the time you were abused, or if a prolonged period of abuse started when you were a minor, here are the guidelines that determine the deadline to sue for monetary compensation:
- Your 40th birthday, which gives you 22 years from when you turn 18, i.e. the age of consent under California law.
- Up until 5 years from discovering the connection between an injury / illness and sexual abuse that occurred before you were 18 years old
Keep in mind that the time limit for a lawsuit depends on which of these dates comes later. So, let’s say you are in your 50s when you start seeing a therapist for mental health issues that are adversely affecting your marriage and other interpersonal relationships. With your therapist’s guidance, you feel that you can finally speak out about sexual assault by an adult while you were in the foster care system. Your therapist helps you understand that this is the source of your emotional pain, anger issues, and sexual dysfunction.
From the point of discovering the psychological / physical impact of child sexual abuse, you have a 5-year window in which to file a lawsuit against the foster care system and anyone else that failed in their duty of care to you. If you would like to learn more about the discovery rule for children that were sexually abused, please call our office and talk to one of our legal experts.
Contact a California Sexual Abuse Attorney
The girls who were sexually abused by Jose Manuel Lozano will suffer from the effects of what they endured for the rest of their lives. These innocent girls and other victims of child abuse deserve compensation from the people that failed to protect them. This is the principle that motivates us here at Normandie Law Firm.
The Zero Fee Guarantee is a part of our commitment to victims, as we believe in free legal services for anyone who was sexually abused. As our client, you pay absolutely nothing to hire our team of legal experts. The cost of legal representation is paid by the negligent party, and that only happens if we obtain a settlement or verdict in your favor. Otherwise, you owe us $0, and we eat the costs associated with your lawsuit.
We hope you will consider meeting with us and learning about your rights and legal options. Contact our law firm and schedule a free case evaluation.
