A tort lawsuit filed in Sebastian County Circuit Court on Tuesday alleges a Greenwood daycare facility was negligent in allowing a registered sex offender to volunteer at the school over over a number of years who is alleged to have committed acts of sexual abuse to a young girl between the ages of three and six.
According to the lawsuit filed in the Greenwood District of Sebastian County Circuit Court, plaintiff "Jane Doe" is suing Miss Tina's Preschool for alleged abuse that occurred while the child was attending the daycare facility over a dozen years ago.
The plaintiff, identified as "Jane Doe" because she was a child at the time of the alleged abuse, recently turned 18 and, according to court papers and is still a senior in high school.
The allegations stem from the presence of registered sex offender Jamie Leon speaks at Miss Tina's preschool in Greenwood. Court documents indicate Speaks' wife, Wanda, was employed by the facility and Speaks was allowed to volunteer and hang around despite the ownership knowing of his sex offender registration status.
You can read the entire complaint filed with the court by clicking the following link:
The lawsuit's names Tina's Preschool, and owner Tina Skaggs as well as both Jamie and Wanda Speaks and seeks "prayer for relief " for both actual and punitive damages.
Speaks was convicted for a 2010 Sexual Solicitation of a Child, also in the Greenwood District of Sebastian County, and online records also show a 1994 court date and jury trial for First Degree Sexual Abuse.
Currently, Speaks is listed with the state of Arkansas sex offender registry as living in the 4900 block of Bowers Loop in Hackett and he shows to be employed by a firm in the 300 block of south e Street in Fort Smith. Onlne sources also show he previously lived in Huntington and Greenwood.
He is currently considered a Level 2 Sex Offender.
The 22- page compliant filed with the lawsuit alleges that Speaks took advantage of being at the daycare in the early morning hours while fewer people were present to molest the plaintiff. According o information on Arkansas Court Connect, the complaint alleges Speaks would take the child to the restroom, take out his penis, and force the girl to stroke it with her hands. He is also accused of forcing her to perform oral sex.
The paperwork also claims that he would penetrate her digitally and tell her later, after finally allowing her to use the restroom, that urination was her reward for participating in the acts.
On June 22, 2012, Speaks was criminally convicted of Sexual Indecency with a Child and Sexual Abuse (Second Degree) of a Child involving incidents with another victim in 2011. The lawsuit also contends the plaintiff in the case suppressed memories of the attacks until she turned 16.
The lawsuit alleges negligent hiring on the part of the daycare, negligent supervision, negligent retention of Speaks' wife at the daycare center, vicarious liability for the conduct of Speaks" wife, tort of outrage, and sexual battery against Jamie speaks only.
As of Friday morning no trial date has been set in the case.
