27-05-2025
Red Rock Canyon School faces lawsuit over employee's alleged sexual misconduct
Editor's Note: A lawsuit only portrays one side of a story.
ST. GEORGE, Utah () — The troubled teen school that shut down in 2019 has had a lawsuit filed against it. Red Rock Canyon School in St. George, which closed in September 2019, is accused of negligence in allowing an employee to sexually abuse a minor student.
The lawsuit names Red Rock Canyon School, Sequel Youth and Family Services (the school's owners), Atonio Kavea (a former staff member), and Asiah Kavea (another former staff member).
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff who is filing the lawsuit — referred to as P.R. — was a student at Red Rock Canyon in 2017, at age 13. They were a member of the Tule River Indian Tribe and were in and out of foster care when they were sent to the school.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former Red Rock Canyon School staffer comes forward with abuse and neglect allegations
The lawsuit alleges that P.R. had cousins who attended the school, and her cousins had been visited by the staff member Atonio Kavea in California while away from the school.
When P.R. arrived at the school in early 2017, she allegedly met Atonio Kavea and his sister, Asiah Kavea, who were both staff members at Red Rock Canyon School. Asiah Kavea was in charge of classes and staffing for female students. The plaintiff said that they showed favoritism toward her because they had met her and her cousins before.
Asiah Kavea, according to the lawsuit, allowed Atonio Kavea to take P.R. out of classes and spend time alone together. 'During this school-sanctioned alone time, Defendant Atonio Kavea begangrooming P.R. for a romantic relationship,' the lawsuit alleges.
According to the lawsuit, P.R. would be taken to a room without many security cameras and would be sexually assaulted by Atonio Kavea. Asiah Kavea was allegedly aware of the 'developing relationship' between them, but pretended not to know.
Red Rock Canyon School staffer charged for allegedly punching student in the face during April riot
'In or around June or July 2018, almost everyone at Red Rock Canyon School was aware of a sexual relationship between P.R. and employee/Defendant Atonio Kavea,' it states in the lawsuit.
Other employees allegedly attempted to end the relationship and separate Atonio Kavea and P.R. The residential director directly asked P.R. about the relationship, but the lawsuit states she feared retribution and refused to say anything except 'review the camera footage.'
At this point, Atonio Kavea allegedly provided P.R. with 'liquid THC' in hopes that she would get kicked out of Red Rock Canyon School. The next day, Asiah Kavea called her for a 'random drug test' and found that she tested positive for THC.
According to the lawsuit, Asiah Kavea then took P.R. out to the back field and began physically assaulting and hitting her. She was then informed that her things were in the office and a social worker was waiting to take her back to California.
P.R. would be taken back to California. On the way back, documents say that 'the social worker informed P.R. that she was considered a 'liability' to Red Rock Canyon School because she wouldn't be honest about the relationship between herself and Defendant Atonio Kavea.'
Atonio Kavea allegedly continued to visit P.R. in California and ask her to visit or stay with him in Utah. In August 2018, she would discover she was pregnant with his child.
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff named in sexual assault lawsuit
Upon being informed of the pregnancy, Atonio Kavea became 'enraged and attempted to force her to take 'Plan B,'' according to documents. Another alleged victim came forward and told police that she was also pregnant with Atonio Kavea's child.
At age 15, in April 2023, P.R. would give birth in California. DNA testing confirmed that Atonio Kavea was the father of P.R. and the other alleged victim's children. He was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child in California and has been placed on the sex offender registry.
Red Rock Canyon School and Sequel Youth and Family Services are both being sued for negligence, negligence of training and supervision, respondeat superior (meaning they are being held responsible for an employee's actions), and negligence per se breach of statutory reporting duty.
Ogden woman allegedly runs over boyfriend during argument
Asiah Kavea is also being sued for negligence, negligence of training and supervision, and negligence per se breach of statutory reporting duty. Atonio Kavea is being sued for sexual assault and abuse.
The lawsuit asks for 'damages in an amount to be proven at trial for pain and suffering,loss of disruption of relationships with family members and loved ones, otheremotional suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life, in an amount no less than$10,000,000.00.'
ABC4 has reached out to Sequel Youth and Family Services and P.R.'s lawyers for more information on this lawsuit.
Red Rock Canyon School faces lawsuit over employee's alleged sexual misconduct
What if the most exciting cars today are Korean?
Get crafty: 10 unique classes for date nights or family fun along the Wasatch Front
Palou, drivers to be honored during 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 victory banquet
House GOP's SNAP proposal sparks concern from Senate Republicans
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
