Lawsuit Charges School and Police Ignored Rape

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A Cheyenne girl and her mother are suing the police department and the school district over the handling of the girl's report that she was raped at school in October 2011, when she was 14.

The federal lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges the school resource officer didn't contact the girl's mother before having her write out a statement about what happened, that officers waited a week to interview the 17-year-old boy and that two officers successfully persuaded the girl to drop the complaint because they said it would ruin the boy's life.

The lawsuit also alleges the girl was bullied by other students and physically assaulted by one. It seeks damages to be determined at trial.

John Coppede, attorney for the defendants, did not return a phone call seeking comment.