Former Gunnery dean sued for sexual molestation

WASHINGTON -- A civil lawsuit has been brought on behalf of a 16-year-old boy against The Gunnery School and the school's former dean of students, Robert Reinhardt, alleging Reinhardt sexually molested the teen during the 2007-08 school year.

Attorney Bob Reardon Jr., of the Reardon Law Firm, filed the suit Aug. 10 in Superior Court in New London.

Reinhardt had been dismissed by The Gunnery in June, after allegations of sexual abuse of students surfaced.

He was arrested Aug. 5 in Litchfield County on criminal charges -- two counts of second-degree sexual assault, with risk of injury to a minor attached to each charge, and one count of fourth-degree assault.

He is out on $750,000 bond with a return court date of Sept. 1.

The civil suit brought by Reardon this week charges that between September 2007 and June 2008, when the boy was 14 and 15 and a full-time boarding student at The Gunnery, "Reinhardt repeatedly over a long period of time sexually assaulted the minor plaintiff, violating his person and exploiting him for his own sexual gratification," the suit says

The suit goes on to say the teen is under psychiatric care as a result of the assaults and will "likely never" fully recover.

The suit claims Reinhardt was able to "engage in pedophilia" with the boy and other minors because he was allowed to invite boys to spend the night in his apartment on campus.

"This boy was sent to a boarding school as his first time away from home," Reardon said. "Within a month of being there he was molested, and the molestation continued. It has been devastating for him and just as devastating for his parents."

The suit also names as defendants The Gunnery School, Head of School Susan Graham, and school employee Dana Jackson.

"The bottom line is, this man (Reinhardt) had been there for many years and in his capacity as dean of students had greater accessibility to young boys than any other faculty member," Reardon said Wednesday.

"The molestation of this boy went on over a long period of time. They (the school, Graham, Jackson) were failing to do their full duty in allowing this to occur and continue," Reardon said.

Reinhardt's attorney, William Dow of Hartford, said Wednesday that "these charges are identical to the criminal charges. Rob Reinhardt is denying the criminal charges and will deny these as well."

"Rob Reinhardt has, and continues to have, an outstanding reputation. The amount of support he has received and continues to receive is overwhelming," Dow said.

Calls to Graham on Wednesday were not returned.

The newstimes.com