Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom and its parent companies are facing a civil lawsuit alleging that it didn’t implement safeguards to protect minor guests from a predatory employee.
Harrisburg law firm Andreozzi + Foote announced the suit Wednesday morning, naming Dorney Park, Cedar Fair LP and Six Flags Entertainment Corp. as defendants.
A Dorney Park spokesperson told The Morning Call that the company does not comment on pending litigation.
According to the lawsuit, a 15-year-old girl was befriended by a 22-year-old employee, Anthony Casio, in September 2021 at the South Whitehall Township park’s Halloween Haunt. The lawsuit alleges that Casio misrepresented his age as 17 and exchanged social media contact information with her.
The complaint further alleges that Casio continued a friendship with the girl. On multiple occasions, Casio inappropriately touched her and manipulated her into thinking that those interactions were harmless fun, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that Casio met the girl in October 2021 at a hotel room in Emmaus, where he became physically aggressive and raped her. He has since pleaded guilty in Lehigh County Court to felony charges of statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors, and has been classified as a sexually violent predator.
The lawsuit asserts claims of negligence, negligent hiring, and negligent supervision and retention against Dorney Park and its parent companies.
According to the suit, before his employment at Dorney Park, Casio had a known and documented history of sexual misconduct, including a prior charge for sexual assault in 2015. In that case, he admitted he sexually assaulted a girl in the basement of Allentown’s Dieruff High School.
“These allegations raise serious concerns about how individuals with known histories of misconduct are placed in positions around children,” said Veronica Hubbard, a partner at Andreozzi + Foote. “Businesses that invite families onto their property have a responsibility to take meaningful steps to protect minors. When they don’t enforce necessary protections, the consequences can be devastating.”