INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, April 25. THE United States District Court ruled today to grant summary judgment for defendants USA Swimming and the Westfield Washington School Corporation, effectively ending plantiff Brooke Taflinger's suit against the two companies following allegations of sexual abuse when Taflinger was an 18-year-old swimmer.
Taflinger sued USA Swimming and Westfield Washington in 2011 on the grounds of “intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy by public disclosure of private facts, invasion of privacy by physical intrusion, and negligent supervision,” according to court documents. USA Swimming was also sued on claims of “breach of a duty of care based on a special relationship, and for breach of a contractual duty to provide a safe environment,” and Westfield Washington had an additional claim for “negligence and breach of a duty of care.”
Taflinger's allegations against USA Swimming and Westfield Washington stemmed from evidence that she and other girls swimming for were secretly videotaped by coach Brian Hindson, between 1998 and 2007, in a special shower room where Hindson had installed video cameras.
Hindson is now serving up to 33 years in federal prison on child pornography charges and is on USA Swimming's banned for life list.