A therapist at a Miami women’s mental health and substance abuse treatment facility faces several charges after multiple women reported that he assaulted them during private sessions, according to local media.
Manuel Enrique Garcia, 33, was charged with at least three counts of felony charges related to sexual battery on clients.
Two women reported to police, alleging Garcia had assaulted them during private therapy sessions, according to reporting from CBS Miami. One woman said she was threatened with “job loss and homelessness if she spoke out,” reporters said in the article. Another woman told police that she was assaulted and that Garcia threatened to change her records to harm her standing in court, which would prevent her from “reuniting with her child.” This was not the only time that Garcia had approached the woman in this manner, according to police.
Another woman has since come forward, alleging that while with Garcia in his office, he locked the door, made inappropriate comments and assaulted her.
Leesfield & Partners: A History of Representing Victims and Survivors
Leesfield & Partners is a 49-year personal injury law firm based in Florida with decades of experience securing record and landmark results for injured clients and their grieving families. From negligent security cases to representing the victims and survivors of sexual assaults, our compassionate and skilled trial attorneys work diligently to secure the best possible outcome in every case.
Our attorneys are deeply committed to their clients and work tirelessly to challenge outdated norms, reform harmful policies and implement lasting changes that help prevent future tragedies. In decades of litigating these cases, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, started his charitable organization, The Leesfield Family Foundation. The Foundation primarily focuses on women’s and children’s initiatives and contributes to organizations such as Lawyers for Children America, Kristi House, Voices for Children, and The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment.
A minor who was sexually assaulted at a South Florida gym by a gym member with a history of violent behavior is being represented by Partner Justin B. Shapiro and Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm. The teen at the center of this case has been left with significant emotional scarring, night terrors, PTSD and flashbacks.
“LA Fitness knew this assailant was a dangerous individual who had previously exhibited violent conduct at the gym,” Mr. Robinson said. “They did nothing to restrict his access to the gym and their failure to act is the reason why our client experienced this horrific trauma.”
This case is ongoing.
Mr. Shapiro is representing a woman in a separate incident who was left traumatized after a St. Regis Bal Harbour hotel worker watched her as she showered in her hotel room’s private bathroom.
This case is also ongoing.
Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II is handling a case on behalf of a woman who has been left with significant trauma after she was filmed without her consent while traveling on a cruise ship. The woman in that case was filmed by a cruise employee who had planted a hidden camera in the private bathrooms of multiple passengers, including children. That employee was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
The case is ongoing.
Previous Cases
Mr. Shapiro previously represented a couple who were attacked while staying at a Florida hotel by a man who was allowed to enter the premises uninhibited by security. The man, who was not a guest at the hotel, walked through the lobby without being questioned and went up the elevator to the couple’s floor where he launched a sickening and violent attack.
As a result of this senseless act of violence, both the man and woman were beaten and the woman was raped and sexually assaulted. Part of this attack was witnessed by the hotel’s security and employees, both of whom did nothing to intervene. This grueling and torturous attack resulted in severe physical, emotional and psychological wounds to our client.
Making matters worse, this property had a history of violent and criminal activity. The higher ups at the hotel ignored previous advice from police and security to hire armed guards as a way to deter future incidents and protect guests. This decision has had lasting and devastating effects for our clients.
Mr. Shapiro settled the case for $16 million.
The firm obtained an $8.6 million recovery for a minor who was being sexually abused by a counselor at a well-known Florida summer camp. Instead of detecting odd behaviors that should have been obvious indicators to camp officials that something was wrong, they ignored these signs and allowed the abuse to continue.
A multi-million-dollar recovery was obtained for the male students of a teacher at a well-respected Florida high school after the school allowed this teacher access to the children, who he repeatedly sexually abused.
In a case involving an unaccompanied minor who was abused by a passenger on an airplane, Leesfield & Partners obtained a confidential settlement. The minor in that case was meant to be watched over by the airline’s flight attendants who failed to properly supervise and protect the child.
Leesfield & Partners previously represented a Canadian woman who was attacked and raped by a cruise ship crew member. The man used his employee keycard to gain access into the woman’s private cabin where he attacked her.
The firm obtained a confidential amount for the woman in that case.
Mr. Leesfield and Carlos A. Fabano, a Trial Attorney at the firm, secured a confidential settlement amount on behalf of four adults who were abused as children by the same church leader.
Leesfield & Partners previously represented a hotel maid who was raped while on the job by a man who was allowed to be on the property despite not being a guest.
The firm obtained over $1 million for the woman in that case.
Our attorneys represented a store employee who was brutally raped while on the job after the mall had limited its security patrol.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual abuse, you are not alone. Help can be found by calling the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s 24-hour National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Holding Medical Facilities Accountable
In addition to litigation concerning instances of sexual abuse, Leesfield & Partners also has a strong history of keeping those in power at medical and mental health facilities accountable for their actions. One such example includes a nurse and therapist who failed to resuscitate our client’s infant, resulting in the baby’s horrible death. Leesfield & Partners secured more than $1.2 million in the wrongful death case.
In a separate and devastating case involving a minor who was a patient at a Florida mental health facility, Leesfield & Partners represented the child’s parents following his death.
In that case, medical professionals and other employees at the facility failed to adequately and properly supervise our client’s child and failed to prevent the child’s tragic death. The firm secured a $1 million recovery amount for the grieving family in that case.
Mr. Fabano has handled numerous medical negligence and malpractice cases involving substandard care and abuses of power by medical professionals
Click here to learn more about Leesfield & Partners medical negligence cases.