WELLSBURG – A Brooke High School student has sued the county school board and the former principal after hidden cameras were found that had secretly recorded minor female students in locker room and changing areas.
Former Brooke High Principal Eric James also faces felony criminal charges in a criminal investigation.
The lawsuit was filed September 3 in Brooke Circuit Court by a student identified as Jane Doe No. 1 against the Brooke County Board of Education and James. It came hours after county officials announced James’ arrest in connection with the discovery of four recording devices in areas used by female students at the high school.
West Virginia Regional Jail Authority photo
James, 53, is being held at Northern Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond, officials said. He had been Brooke High’s principal since June 2023, following prior education positions in Ohio and West Virginia.
“The criminal justice system must do its critical part to handle what has occurred here and keep the community safe,” Teresa Toriseva, one of the attorneys handling the civil lawsuit, told The West Virginia Record. “However, the individuals affected have had their civil rights violated too.
“This lawsuit and the rest that are coming are about finding complete accountability. We expect to file more immediately.”
The civil suit alleges James secretly installed cameras in the school’s girls’ locker room and changing rooms to record female students “in various states of undress,” including while nude, showering and using the restroom.
The plaintiff, a current junior and participant in multiple school-sanctioned sports, alleges she used the affected locker room daily. The lawsuit says James would at times wait outside a locked locker room, unlock it for her, let her enter and then leave.
“Jane Doe #1 would often be required to use the locker room when it was locked,” the complaint states. “Oddly, defendant James would wait for her at the locker room door, unlock it, let her in and then disappear.
“Upon information and belief, he was disappearing to go view the live camera footage while Jane Doe #1 was in the locker room.”
The complaint also says it is not known whether images or video were downloaded, retained on portable devices, shared or viewed by anyone else.
The lawsuit names James individually and in his official capacity as former principal, along with the Brooke County Board of Education and Brooke County Schools. It alleges the school system knew or should have known about the cameras and failed to prevent, discover, remove or investigate them.
The student is filing anonymously, saying disclosure could expose her to retaliation, harassment, targeting and safety risks.
Brooke County Sheriff Rich Beatty said Thursday that four devices were found in three areas: the girls physical education locker room, the girls varsity locker room and a changing area used by the dance team.
“Those devices were confiscated,” Beatty said during a news conference. “Search warrants were conducted, electronics were seized, both from here at school and from the home of Principal Eric James in Marshall County.”
Beatty said the sheriff’s department received information about the alleged devices at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Deputies and West Virginia State Police went to Brooke High shortly before 4 p.m. after students had been dismissed, and James was detained at the school during the search.
Investigators sent seized material to the West Virginia State Police forensic laboratory in Morgantown for analysis, Beatty said, adding authorities would try to notify all victims after investigators retrieve and review any relevant data.
James is charged criminally with intentionally intercepting or attempting to intercept wire, oral or electronic communications and with breaking and entering a nonresidence, according to Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney Allison Cowden. Authorities said further charges remain possible as the investigation continues.
Brooke County Schools said it was notified of a criminal investigation Wednesday after students were released. District security officers and central office staff worked with law enforcement to locate and remove the devices, the district said.
Superintendent Jeffrey Crook removed James from the school and suspended him from employment pending additional proceedings. The district also began its own investigation but said it could not provide further information because of the active criminal investigation, personnel issues and student-privacy concerns.
Crook said law enforcement conducted a sweep of restrooms at Brooke High and facilities near the stadium, while State Police used specialized equipment to search for other concealed electronic devices. Beatty said similar scans were conducted at the district’s primary and intermediate schools, even though James did not necessarily have access to them.
“Our main priority is our kids,” Crook said at Thursday’s news conference. “The kids feel betrayed. I think we all feel a little bit betrayed by this.”
School officials also met with students and parents Thursday to address the matter and provide support, authorities said.
In her civil lawsuit, the unidentified student’s complaint contains 13 counts, including alleged violations of state laws involving student rights, invasion of privacy, nonconsensual disclosure of private intimate images and sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust.
It also alleges intrusion upon seclusion, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, negligence per se, premises liability and a violation of the West Virginia Constitution’s due-process clause.
The complaint says the school system had a duty to protect the plaintiff while she was on campus and taking part in school activities. It alleges the board failed to inspect and secure school facilities adequately and failed to supervise James.
The plaintiff alleges she suffered mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, shame, loss of enjoyment of life and other damages. She seeks compensatory damages, interest, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
She is being represented by Toriseva and Josh Miller of Toriseva Law in Wheeling. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge David J. Sims.
Brooke Circuit Court case number 26-C-83
