Minor Charged as Adult in Sexual Assault Case

In April of 2025, students from Alexander Dawson School attended an international field trip. What should have been a fun adventure turned into a nightmare that has resulted in criminal charges and a serious lawsuit.

According to court records, at least one 15-year-old is facing prosecution after several students participated in a sexual assault against one targeted victim. Another unnamed student also has an open criminal case, but they are not being charged as an adult, so their identity and the details of their charges remain under wraps.

The victim was a classmate of the assailants, and per the lawsuit, the assault was foreseeable. The main reason why teachers and supervisors should have been more aware of a potential situation is that another student reportedly told teachers on the field trip that some of the offenders threatened to sexually assault him.

Despite the disturbing allegations, the teachers only spoke to the group of boys and did not penalize them. Five days later, the same offenders who threatened to assault a different student sexually assaulted the victim.

What makes this situation even more disturbing is that the group of offenders allegedly returned to the school and bragged about raping their classmate. The student being charged as an adult, Vaughn Griffith, also filmed the entire incident and saved it on his Snapchat social media profile. The video in question clearly shows the face of Griffith and several other boys before panning back to the rear-facing camera. The video then shows the group of boys penetrating the boy with a flute and other items.

According to the lawsuit, this incident was further foreseeable because the victim, his parents, and other parents repeatedly complained to the school about the boys’ bullying him and others even before the field trip. The risk of the victim being assaulted was “clear and escalating” before the trip, according to the complaint. Despite multiple complaints, none of the bullies ever faced any disciplinary action.

While the school did not give a statement to media outlets, they did send out emails to students’ families recently that stated the school notified law enforcement about the recent incident. The email also confirmed that the school was cooperating with the Metropolitan Police Department.

Per the lawsuit, this isn’t the first time the school’s parent company has been involved in a sexual assault coverup. According to the suit, the company also covered up a sexual assault committed by a teacher in their Colorado location back in 2021.

This assault was only discovered after multiple students filed separate complaints against the school.

Why is a Minor Being Charged as an Adult?

Typically, juveniles who commit crimes are charged as minors, but sometimes in Las Vegas, individuals under 18 can be charged as adults. These situations typically only happen when the juvenile is accused of committing a serious, violent felony like sexual assault, armed robbery, or murder.

Typically, courts will decide whether to charge a minor as an adult based on the severity of the crime, the person’s history of offenses, and the need for public safety.

If you’re concerned that your minor could be charged as an adult, then reach out to our team of criminal defense attorneys now for help. Fill out our online form to receive a call from us.