OXNARD — A lawsuit filed July 10 in Ventura County Superior Court accuses the Oxnard School District of turning a blind eye after being told that a campus assistant at Christa McAuliffe School allegedly sent sexually explicit messages and photos to an 11-year-old fifth-grader.
What the complaint alleges
The 19-page complaint, filed by the victim’s family, contends that between April 2025 and September 2025 the campus assistant, identified in court papers as Andrew Lemos, then 22, used his position at the school to obtain the student’s phone number and repeatedly sent lewd and pornographic text messages and photographs. The suit accuses Lemos and the district of sexual harassment of a minor, violations of civil code, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and harassment in an educational institution.
The family’s attorney, Gregory Ramirez, said the victim’s mother discovered the messages on Sept. 4, 2025, and that she reported the misconduct to school staff the same day. According to the complaint, school office staff were dismissive of the mother’s concerns — an allegation that forms part of the complaint’s claims that the district failed in its supervisory and reporting duties.
“The District takes all allegations involving student safety seriously and acts swiftly to protect students while cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities,” wrote district spokesperson Ginger Shea, noting legal and privacy limits on what the district can disclose.
District response and criminal case status
The district did not provide an on-camera interview but supplied an emailed statement emphasizing constraints posed by pending litigation and student privacy laws. Spokesperson Ginger Shea insisted that the district acted after learning of the allegations.
Separately, the suit notes that Lemos was previously arrested, fired and criminally charged with felony luring. The complaint seeks to hold both the individual employee and the district accountable under multiple legal theories, including negligent hiring and negligent supervision.
- Alleged misconduct timeframe: April 2025–September 2025
- Victim: an 11-year-old fifth-grader (family declined interviews)
- Employee: Andrew Lemos, age 22 (arrested, fired, charged with felony luring)
Claims listed in the complaint
The lawsuit lays out a series of alleged institutional failures, including:
- Negligent hiring, supervision and retention of an unfit employee
- Negligent supervision of a minor
- Negligent failure to warn, train or educate
- Breach of mandatory duty by failing to report suspected child abuse
The family declined interview requests; Lemos does not yet have a civil attorney listed in the reporting and could not be reached for comment.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Complaint filed | July 10, Ventura County Superior Court |
| Alleged timeframe | April–September 2025 |
| Accused employee | Andrew Lemos, 22 (arrested; charged with felony luring; fired) |
| Primary allegations | Sexual harassment of a minor; negligence claims against the district |
Local implications
The suit places a spotlight on how district staff responded when a parent raised alarm about potential criminal conduct by an employee. For Oxnard families, the case raises immediate questions about campus safeguards, reporting procedures and staff training at Christa McAuliffe School and across the district.
Under state law and district policy, public education agencies have mandatory duties to report suspected child abuse and to take steps to protect students. The lawsuit argues those duties were not met here and seeks remedies through civil claims that could include damages and injunctive relief aimed at changing district practices.
The litigation also arrives at a sensitive moment for local public schools, where trust between families and administrators is essential. The district says it prioritizes student safety, but the family’s complaint asserts that assurances were not matched by immediate protective action when the mother first raised the issue.
The case will proceed through the county court system. For now, the details in the complaint provide the framework for the legal dispute: an accusation that a campus employee abused his access to a student and that the school system failed to stop it despite being put on notice.
As the matter moves forward, Oxnard parents and district stakeholders will be watching for both criminal case developments and any administrative or policy changes the district implements in response to the allegations.
