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Who is Nathaniel Morales?
Nathaniel Morales was convicted for sexually abusing seven boys during his time of employment at both The Covenant Life Church where he served as a church youth leader and the Montgomery County Covenant Academy where he was a teacher. He was finally arrested, charged, and sentenced to 40 years in prison after being convicted in back-to-back trials for all seven assaults. One of his victims at the time of sentencing noted that his predation was not a “One-time thing, he clearly had a pattern”
Nathaniel Morales preyed upon children for decades and during the trial one of the officials from the church admitted knowing there were allegations years prior to any authorities being notified. This is a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of the children who attended that church and the school should be held accountable for failing to protect its members.
What we know about child sexual offenders is that there is a high likelihood that there are more victims who have yet to disclose. We understand how hard it is to come to terms with the reality that one has been sexually abused and how scary the system can feel.
How Can A Civil Lawsuit Help Victims Seek Justice For The Trauma They Experienced At The Hands Of Nathaniel Morales?
There are many misunderstandings about why a survivor of sexual abuse would choose to file a civil lawsuit. Child sexual abuse takes away so much from the survivors and families impacted and, in our society, we are still struggling to find ways to repair the harm that has been done not only by individual perpetrators but also by organizations and institutions who have covered up child sexual abuse. Due to outdated statutes of limitations across our country, far too many survivors have been denied access to our courts for criminal or civil justice.
The filing of a civil case can be an important step for survivors and their families in their journey to slowly rebuild their lives and create pathways to healing. Motivation for filing a civil suit is often questioned and unfairly stereotyped as being “all about money. The concept of filing a civil lawsuit casts survivors as “money hungry” and is weaponized to shame and blame them even more. This couldn’t be further from the truth for survivors of child sexual abuse, the civil justice system offers victims more than just monetary benefits. It gives survivors access to justice, validation, exposure, confrontation, and ultimately some resolution that can allow the survivor of sexual abuse to fully understand and process what happened to them so they can begin to create a new path forward without confusion, questions, and fear.
Can I pursue a case against Nathaniel Morales or the Church or Academy?
Yes.
Maryland has a new law that eliminated the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits for child sexual abuse-meaning, if you were a victim of Nathaniel Morales you can take action against the department for failing to protect you. The Church knew of this abuse and did nothing. This type of negligence has led to victims who now face life-altering impacts of his sexual abuse. The Church and Academy can be held responsible for its failure to protect you.
Our firm believes there are more victims out there that have not yet come forward. With Maryland’s passage of a new law allowing victims to come forth and hold offenders and institutions accountable, now is the time to come forward and seek justice.
If you were abused by Nathaniel Morales or another church member, our experienced sexual abuse lawyers could help you seek the justice you deserve. We know it can be hard to talk about these experiences, but our compassionate lawyers are here to listen and provide knowledgeable legal guidance. We provide free, confidential case evaluations where you can learn more about your rights and options under your state’s laws, contact Andreozzi + Foote today.
