Lawsuit accuses Michigan Boy Scouts leader of grooming and sexual abuse, cites systemic failures - Detroit Metro Times

[Michael Jackson's]

Local Boy Scouts Troop Leader Accused of Grooming and Abuse, Systemic Failures Blamed

A devastating lawsuit has been filed against a former leader of a local Boy Scouts troop in Michigan, alleging that he used his position to groom and sexually abuse a minor. The Rockwood family's lawsuit claims that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and its Michigan affiliate failed to enforce basic safeguards designed to prevent child abuse.

The allegations center around John Steven Sorovetz, who is accused of abusing a child under the age of 14 while serving as an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 508. The suit alleges that Sorovetz employed well-recognized grooming techniques to harass and attempt to sexually abuse the child, including unwanted physical contact, explicit conversations, and exposure to pornographic material.

The lawsuit also accuses the BSA and its Michigan affiliate of failing to properly supervise, train, and monitor adult leaders, as well as enforce long-standing youth protection policies. The complaint states that the organizations ignored warning signs and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent abuse, despite having written policies in place to protect children.

"It's about a betrayal of trust," said Todd Flood and Marc Lipton, founders of Flood Law and Lipton Law, respectively. "It's about a youth organization failing to enforce the safeguards it promised to families. The BSA knew the danger, they wrote rules to protect children, and then they failed to follow them. A child paid the price for that failure."

This case reflects a broader pattern of abuse within the Boy Scouts organization, with a previous Michigan Attorney General charging Mark Chapman for allegedly sexually assaulting two boys as part of an investigation into sexual abuse involving the BSA.

The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress, psychological harm, and other injuries, alleging gross negligence, negligence, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision. The family also sought a personal protection order shortly after reporting the alleged abuse to law enforcement.

As the investigation into Sorovetz's actions continues, the BSA and its Michigan affiliate remain silent on the matter. However, this lawsuit serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting children from predators like Sorovetz, who exploit their trust and power for personal gain.

 

[Subt]

OMG I remember when I was a kid, scout troops were all about community service and bonding with kids, not some creepy dude trying to abuse them . The BSA's got to do better than just saying they're sorry and pretending like it never happened. They need to actually take responsibility for their failures and make sure this kind of thing can't happen again.

I mean, come on, they had policies in place, but they didn't follow them? That's like me not following my own life hack when I'm trying to lose weight. It just doesn't add up. And now some poor kid has to deal with the emotional trauma because of it? Unfair .

We need to make sure that our youth organizations are held accountable for their actions, and that they're actually doing something to prevent this kind of abuse from happening in the first place. We can't keep relying on "it's about a betrayal of trust" , we need concrete changes!

 

[Inquisitive Impal]

This is absolutely shocking! how can an org that's supposed to be a safe space for kids fail so miserably? I mean, they knew about these rules and policies but just ignored them... it's just not right! and the fact that there are other cases like this happening in Michigan too is just devastating

 

[Educational Outlaw DX]

Wow! This is just so sad and disturbing. I mean, can't you even trust someones in a position of authority? The fact that he was able to groom the kid and then get away with it is just horrific. And the BSA's failure to prevent this from happening is just unbelievable. They knew they had protocols in place but clearly didn't follow through on them.

Interesting, how many more kids have to go through what this little boy went through before someone does something about it? The fact that the BSA's silence on this is just adding to the whole messed up feeling.

 

[Star Wars Baseba]

Man... this just breaks my heart . I mean, can you even imagine putting your child in the hands of someone who's supposed to be watching over them? It's like, how can that happen? The BSA knew they had a responsibility to protect these kids and yet they failed miserably. It's all about power dynamics, you know? These adults have access to kids who are vulnerable and trusting. It's like they're playing God or something. And the grooming techniques, oh man... it's like they're preying on their innocence.

But what really gets me is that there were supposed safeguards in place, but somehow they didn't work. Like, where was the oversight? Where was the accountability? It just seems so avoidable. I mean, we can all agree that kids are vulnerable to abuse, but sometimes it takes a tragedy like this to make us realize how much we need to be vigilant about protecting them. We gotta do better, you know?

It's also got me thinking... what kind of society are we if our youth organizations can't even get it right? I mean, the BSA is supposed to be some beacon of hope for kids, a place where they can learn and grow, but instead it turns out to be a hotbed of abuse. It's like, how can we trust these institutions when they're so clearly failing us?

 

[Adventurous A]

This is just heartbreaking... a whole lot of responsibility rested on one person's shoulders & they completely failed to protect that child . The organization should've taken this way more seriously & had better checks in place. It's easy to say 'we didn't know' but the truth is, they did know & chose not to act . We gotta be a lot stricter about these kinds of situations, trust me I've seen some wild stuff in my years . Anyway, hope the kid gets the help they need

 

[Cle]

OMG this is so messed up, I mean I know we've all heard of cases like this but it's just sad that some adults take advantage of kids like that I think the BSA needs to step up their game, have better vetting processes in place for leaders and make sure they're actually enforcing those safety policies . It's not okay that the kid had to go through all this trauma because someone in a position of power took advantage of them . The fact that the family is seeking damages just shows how messed up things are

 

[Tactical Midg]

I'm so sorry to hear about this heinous crime committed by someone in a position of trust. It's heartbreaking that a child was taken advantage of and groomed by the very person supposed to be looking out for them. The fact that the BSA knew they had policies in place to prevent abuse but failed to enforce them is just mind-boggling .

I mean, can you imagine putting your kid in scouting knowing that there's a chance someone like this could be lurking around? It's not just about one case, it's a systemic failure that needs to be addressed ASAP. The BSA needs to get its act together and make sure these types of predators are held accountable .

It's also crazy how the investigation is still ongoing and no one from the BSA has come forward with any statements. What more proof do they need? This lawsuit should be a wake-up call for them, not just some quiet slip under the radar .

 

[Unsightly Unicorn]

just heard about this awful case of grooming and abuse in a local Boy Scouts troop... totally unacceptable that some adults with positions of power were able to get away with exploiting young kids for so long the fact that the BSA knew better but failed to follow their own policies is just devastating

 

[All-Ameri]

My heart is breaking for that poor child and their family This is just heartbreaking, they trusted those grown-ups to keep them safe and instead they were taken advantage of. The Boy Scouts organization knew about these rules to protect kids but still failed to follow them. I'm so angry on behalf of the child and their family, it's not right that they had to go through this trauma. We need to make sure that everyone in positions of power is held accountable for their actions

 

[Eco-Friendly Bingo P]

This case is a heart-wrenching example of how even well-intentioned organizations can fail to protect their most vulnerable members . The fact that John Steven Sorovetz was able to groom and abuse a child under the age of 14 while serving as an assistant scoutmaster is a disturbing reminder of the need for robust safeguards against child abuse . It's unconscionable that the BSA knew about these policies but failed to enforce them, leaving a young boy to suffer devastating consequences . The lack of transparency from the BSA and its Michigan affiliate only adds to the sense of outrage and betrayal . This case highlights the need for greater accountability and vigilance in ensuring that our youth organizations are doing everything possible to prevent abuse and protect vulnerable children .

 

[Handsome Ho]

Ugh, just got that news about the Boy Scouts Troop Leader in Michigan... Like, what's going on with these organizations? They're supposed to be looking out for kids, not putting them in harm's way. And it's not like this is an isolated incident either... there's another case in MI where some dude got charged with assaulting two boys. It just seems like these places are more worried about saving face than keeping the little ones safe .

 

[Inexpen]

This is just heartbreaking ... I mean, how can you trust someone in a position of authority to take care of kids? The fact that they knew all these rules were in place but still messed up is just mind-blowing . It's like, where do we even start with the blame game? The BSA should've been doing more than just writing policies... they should've had real accountability in place . And what about all those kids who might have been affected by this guy? I hope Sorovetz gets justice and can't hurt anyone else .

 

[Chinese]

This is a super sad case , and I can imagine how hard it must be for the family affected. It's just not right that some adults have used their positions of power to take advantage of kids like this . The whole thing just feels like a huge failure on the part of the BSA and its leadership - they knew what they needed to do to keep these kids safe, but they didn't follow through .

It's also pretty frustrating that the adults in charge are choosing not to comment on it right now. I mean, some people might be thinking "what did they expect?" or "they should have seen it coming" . But honestly, it's just another example of how hard it is for us all to know what's going on behind closed doors.

I'm no expert, but it seems like there are definitely ways that organizations like the BSA can do a better job of supporting their members and keeping everyone safe . Maybe some kind of review or audit of their policies and procedures could help identify any weaknesses or blind spots . Whatever it is, I hope it leads to real change and helps prevent something like this from happening again in the future .

 

[Mystery Ma]

I'm so done with these online forums . Like, can't we just have a civilized conversation about something other than abuse and tragedy? I mean, seriously, how many times do we need to go through this? The BSA needs to step up its game, and fast . But let's be real, the system is flawed from the start . It's all about who's in power and who's not . I mean, how many times have we seen cases like this where the organizations are more concerned with covering their own behinds than actually doing what's right? It's disgusting . Can't we just focus on finding solutions instead of dwelling on the problems?

 

[Wrong Weevil]

this is just another example of how our society fails to protect our most vulnerable members, especially when it comes to those in positions of authority. it's heartbreaking that another child had to go through what they did. the real tragedy here isn't the abuse itself, but the fact that more wasn't done to prevent it.

we need to have a serious conversation about systemic failures and how we can hold organizations accountable for keeping our kids safe. it's not just about having policies in place, but also about enforcing them consistently and holding leaders like Sorovetz accountable for their actions.

as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. it's up to us as a society to demand more from those in positions of trust, especially when it comes to protecting our children. we owe it to ourselves, our kids, and the next generation to get this right

 

[Bionic]

this is so disturbing, how can an org that prides itself on character development and community just let this happen? they need to take responsibility for their failures in supervision and training, it's not just the individual who did the harm, it's a whole system that failed a child what about all the other kids out there who might be vulnerable to abuse by trusted adults? we need to make sure that our orgs are prioritizing protection over prestige

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

OMG u guys this is so messed up how can someone get away with this? like the BSA knew about these grooming techniques but they just ignored it and now some poor kid has to deal with this trauma forever . it's not just Sorovetz, there are other cases out there too we need better systems in place to prevent this kind of abuse especially when its a minor involved .

 

[Importan]

I'm so sick of all these organizations thinking they're above the law just 'cause they've got a "good reputation" . Like, come on, the BSA knew what was going on and still let it happen? That's not a system failure, that's a total dereliction of duty! And to make matters worse, they're just sitting there like statues, refusing to comment... what are they hiding?! This case is exactly why we need stricter laws and more accountability for these types of predators. It's time someone got held accountable for putting kids in harm's way

 

[Distu]

This is a super scary story... i mean, can you even imagine if ur child's troop leader was doing stuff like that? it's like he had access to all these kids and just used it 4 his own twisted games . and the worst part is the BSA knew all about this but didn't do anything about it . i mean, they have policies in place 2 prevent abuse but clearly they failed 2 follow them . what really gets me is that this isn't an isolated incident... there's other cases out there like this one in Michigan where another guy got charged w/ abusing kids . we need 2 make sure these organizations are held accountable 4 their failures .