WEST DES MOINES, Iowa —
Three more former students are suing Chow’s Gymnastics in West Des Moines.
The lawsuits are against former coach Sean Gardner, Chow’s, and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The former students say Gardner sexually abused and harassed them.
The lawsuits allege Chow’s hired Gardner as a coach despite his history of sexual abuse and misconduct. It also says when gymnasts and parents told Chow’s about the abuse, the gym failed to investigate and report it to law enforcement.
The suit also claims SafeSport failed to protect the athletes, after a parent reported the abuse.
Gardner is currently being held in a Mississippi jail on federal child porn charges.