An Ohio mother filed a civil lawsuit on Monday, months after a social worker was arrested for sexually assaulting her 13-year-old son.
The victim’s mother notified police in September, after reportedly finding messages between her son and Payton Shires, 24, who was hired to mentor and counsel the boy via her employer, National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP). Police recovered sexually-explicit videos of Shires on the boy’s phone, and detectives heard Shires admit to raping the boy during a three-way call with his mother, according to WBNS.
READ: Ohio Social Worker Allegedly Admits to Repeated Sexual Encounters With 13-Year-Old Child
Though Shires was originally arrested on October 6, she posted bail and was rearrested weeks later for allegedly going to the victim’s home with a gun. WBNS reported that she fired the gun at the residence and held it to her head while threatening to kill herself.
The lawsuit against Shires claimed she first assaulted the boy in August, though police dated her crimes back to September. The lawsuit seeks $50,o00 in punitive damages against the National Youth Advocate Program for not removing Shires even after the victim’s mother alerted them of her inappropriate behavior in September, according to WSYX.
The lawsuit also stated that Shire’s employer was negligent for hiring her because she was not capable of performing her job.
Shires is charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, intimidation of a crime victim and witness, discharging a firearm, and inducing panic. Reports indicated that she still has her social worker license despite being jailed without bond.
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[Feature Photo: Payton Shires/Columbus Police Department]
