HARRISVILLE -- A Lewis County jury has awarded $3.5 million to a former Harrisville Central School District student who alleged he was sexually abused as a child by a teacher at Harrisville Elementary School and that the district failed to protect him.

The six-member jury found in favor of the plaintiff, identified in court records as E.L., on a negligence claim against the school district and awarded $3 million for past pain and suffering and $500,000 for future pain and suffering.

The verdict was delivered July 23 after the jury answered yes to the negligence question and agreed on each question submitted by the court.

The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Child Victims Act, on claims involving childhood sexual abuse that previously may have been barred by the statute of limitations.

According to the complaint, E.L. alleged that he was sexually abused while a student at Harrisville Elementary School in the early 1980s by the late Bette Shampine, who was his third-grade teacher. 

The complaint alleges the abuse occurred when E.L. was approximately 9 to 11 years old and took place in areas of the school, including a classroom and a boys’ restroom.

The complaint claimed that school officials were made aware of concerns involving Shampine but failed to take action, allowing her continued access to students. The lawsuit claimed the district failed in its duties involving supervision, training, policies and protection of students.

The allegations in the complaint were disputed in the litigation.

The trial began July 20 in Lewis County Court.