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Filings keep attorneys in Flood case busy

PITTSBURGH — A busy two weeks of filing in a federal lawsuit involving alleged false sexual assault accusations brought a second countersuit and another official response from one of the victims or families involved.

The lawsuit, filed by the Flood family of Zelienople on behalf of their minor son, T.F., lists as defendants David and Christy Sherk as parents of minor K.S.; David and Christine Seaman as parents of C.S.; Cris and Kimberly Salancy as parents of minor E.S.; and David and Lynn Reina, both individually and as parents of H.R. The suit also names the Seneca Valley School District.

The Floods' amended three-count complaint filed in May states that K.S., C.S., E.S. and H.R. falsely accused T.F. of criminal conduct, including sexual assault. As a result, T.F. suffered a “loss of his liberty, psychological and physical injuries” before the girls “reluctantly” admitted to making false accusations, according to the complaint.

Last month, attorneys representing E.S. and the family of K.S. denied the children bullied T.F. The family of K.S. also filed a counterclaim in which it accuses T.F. of sexually assaulting their daughter and denies that K.S. lied about the incidents or that she bullied T.F.

In her court filing in answer to the Floods' lawsuit, defendant E.S. denies accusing “T.F. of criminal conduct, including sexual assault.” She admits that she had been drinking alcohol underage on the night in question related to the second set of charges being filed against T.F. — those involving a March 2018 incident at the home of defendant C.S.

The Seaman family filed their own response to the amended complaint and a counterclaim on July 1.

The response denies all allegations against C.S. and presents that she never recanted her story of being assaulted by T.F.

In the counterclaim, the Seamans allege four charges against T.F. and the Floods, including assault, battery, negligent supervision and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

This is an excerpt. Get Wednesday's print edition or subscribe online for more.

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