HOUSTON - A woman who used to attend Willis High School in unincorporated Montgomery County alleges she was sexually assaulted by one of its teachers a few years ago, recent court documents say.
Katelyn R. Marks is suing the Willis Independent School District, claiming WISD failed to prevent Bruce Kincaide, the high school's then-assistant girls basketball coach, from having inappropriate relationships with her and other female students.
Marks's lawsuit, filed July 8 in Houston federal court, shows the plaintiff did not have Kincaide as a teacher but was a member of the LadyKats basketball team at the time of the events in question.
The suit explains that Kincaide began to befriend the complainant during her junior year, and during the summer preceding her senior year, he "became more and more aggressive in his actions toward Marks."
According to the original petition, Kincaide was also making suggestive advances toward other girls in the school and even had a sexual relationship with one of Marks's friends.
She recalls an incident in the fall 2011 semester in which Kincaide called her out of one of her classes, directed her into his and "kiss and grope" her.
Kincaide engaged in such activity "in excess of 20 times," the original petition says.
The suit further asserts that in December 2011 the ex-teacher instructed the plaintiff to come to his house where he purportedly "put his hands around Marks's neck and proceeded to engage in sexual intercourse with Marks against her will."
Marks says she was afraid to report the occurrence initially, but another friend of hers in whom she confided reported Kincaide to the proper authorities.
The suit accuses WISD of inflicting "further psychological harm" to Marks by supposedly coercing her to change her account of the events which now are the focus of the litigation.
It adds the defendant did not elect to seek criminal charges against Kincaide, but attempted to "sweep the events under the rug."
As a result of the subject ordeal, Marks states, she has suffered from depression and struggles with attending college to this day.
A jury trial is requested.
Attorney Kevin Forsberg of The Forsberg Law Firm PC in Montgomery is representing the plaintiff.
Case No. 4:13-CV-1981
Former Willis ISD student alleges girls basketball coach sexually assaulted her
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY