A grade school girl and her mother are suing a man who already has been convicted of sexually assaulting the girl.
An unnamed minor and her mother filed a lawsuit July 13 in Cook County Circuit Court against Melchor Lopez, alleging willful and wanton battery and violation of the Gender Violence Act.
According to the complaint, on Aug. 3, 2012, when the unnamed minor was 9 and Lopez was 52, he sexually penetrated the girl by putting his finger in her vagina. He was later convicted in Cook County of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, the suit says.
As a result of this assault, the lawsuit states, the girl has sustained "severe and permanent injuries," pain and suffering, disability, loss of a normal life and medical expenses.
The girl and her mother seek damages in excess of the court's jurisdictional limit, plus costs. They are represented by attorney Peter K. Berg of Berg & Berg in Chicago.