ALLENTOWN – A federal lawsuit alleges that a now-incarcerated ex-employee of the Reading Recreation Commission committed multiple acts of sexual abuse and molestation against a then-11-year-old girl, and that the organization both failed to stop the abuse from happening and violated the plaintiff’s constitutional rights.
Jane Doe (a minor child by and through her father and next friend, John Doe) filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Oct. 29 versus Reading Recreation Commission and its Executive Director Daphne E. Klahr, in her official and individual capacity. All parties are of Reading.
“On Dec. 10, 2019, Detective Heather P. Calabria, a County Detective with the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, was detailed to investigate allegations of suspected child abuse, regarding concerns of interactions between a 20 year-old male employee of the 11th and Pike Street Recreational Center, located at 1185 Pike Street, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, and an 11 year-old female child, the plaintiff, Jane Doe, which was occurring at the Recreation Center,” the suit says.
“On Jan. 14, 2020, Austin Lewis Quigg was interviewed by Berks County detectives and denied any inappropriate actions between him and Doe.”
The plaintiff added that three days later, on Jan. 17, 2020, Quigg was interviewed again and admitted to the investigating detective that he exchanged nude photographs between him and Doe, via texting and various social media platforms, including Instagram.
“Quigg also told the detective that he touched Doe on her buttocks outside her clothing and that she was grabbing his penis outside of his clothing. A forensic examination of Quigg’s mobile device resulted in the detective locating numerous nude photographs of Doe’s vagina and breasts. Quigg also admitted that there were two other occasions he took photographs of his genitals and the genitals of Doe, at the Schlegel Pool, another City of Reading facility located at 299 North Carroll Street, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania,” the suit states.
“Quigg was ultimately found to be in possession of more than 68 photographs of the 11 year-old child plaintiff, including photographs of her vagina and breasts, and said photographs constitute child pornography as a matter of law. Even after Quigg was interviewed by the detective on Jan. 14, 2020 and again on Jan. 17, 2020, Quigg contacted the 11 year-old child plaintiff again and exchanged additional nude photographs and videos of them touching their genitals with his personal laptop. Quigg also took pictures of his penis and recorded an Instagram video of himself masturbating his penis and sent it to the 11 year-old child plaintiff.”
Quigg is now incarcerated at the Berks County Prison in Leesport, after being charged with possession of child pornography and various other offenses and ultimately pleading guilty to them.
For counts of violating the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Section 1983 and Title IX, the plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages in an amount proved at trial, for exemplary and punitive damages against the defendants for costs of suit therein, including plaintiff’s reasonable attorney’s fees and for such other and further relief as the Honorable Court deems appropriate.
The plaintiff is represented by David R. Dautrich Sr. in Reading.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case 5:21-cv-04851
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com