Family of raped child files suit
against janitorial company

SEATTLE, WA - Parents of a 9 year old girl filed suit in King County Superior Court against a janitorial company who employed a convicted child-sex offender, then assigned him to work as a janitor in a building that housed a day-care center.

Ben Querido plead guilty to raping the child in July of last year, and is currently serving a sentence for first degree rape. The parents are taking civil action against a company they say should have known better.

Querido has molested before. In 1991, he was found guilty of second degree child molestation and indecent liberties with children, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Shortly after his release, the owner of the Red Carpet Janitorial Service hired Querido to work in the Old Odessa Brown building, in which the day care center was located. Though Querido's conviction is public record, it is not known whether the owner of the janitorial knew of Querdio's background or if they had performed a background check.

Seattle attorneys Carolyn Ramamurti and Michael Kolker, of the firm Kolker and Ramamurti, represent the family. According to Kolker, "This is every family's worst nightmare: a convicted child molester, assigned to work in a day care center, repeatedly and brutally rapes a little girl. It would be hard to imagine a clearer case of negligent hiring or supervision. This employer should have known better."

The child and her parents are currently undergoing therapy. Kolker describes the parents as "anguished," and states, "It's a tragedy that should never have happened!"