Taipei: The families of eight victims have filed state compensation claims related to an elementary school baseball coach who allegedly molested dozens of children over a six-year period, the Taichung City government announced. The allegations have cast a spotlight on the school and local officials' handling of the case.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taichung City Education Bureau issued a press release indicating ongoing communication with the victims' families to offer legal aid and counseling since the allegations surfaced late last year. A total of 22 families of 27 victims have been contacted, with eight families opting for legal assistance and seeking state compensation.
The coach, identified by his surname Sung, was suspended from his duties after some parents reported the alleged abuse to the school on Oct. 26 of the previous year, followed by his dismissal on Nov. 11. Public awareness of the case grew when Taichung City Councillor Chiang Ho-shu and several parents held a press conference in December, criticizing both the school and the education bureau for not preventing the abuse.
Prosecutors have indicted Sung, accusing him of committing 90 offenses against 32 victims. The city government's latest response followed another press conference led by Chiang and several parents, condemning the school's "negligence."
Chiang stated that over 20 families are contemplating state compensation claims but are uncertain about their validity. He emphasized that despite Sung's status as a contract employee, the city is accountable for failing in its duty of diligence, particularly in hiring someone with a criminal record to work with children. Sung was reportedly convicted of forced indecency in 2012, with a suspended sentence that was later expunged.
The Taichung Bureau of Education explained that when Sung was hired in 2019, a background check was conducted through the Ministry of Education's database, which revealed no red flags at the time.