Raquel Lee sues Disney for negligence over 2001 on-set abuse

Former Disney child actress Raquel Lee has filed a negligence lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company, alleging she was repeatedly sexually abused by an unnamed male Disney employee while filming the 2001 Disney Channel movie "The Poof Point." The lawsuit, filed on August 21 in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims the abuse occurred when Lee was 14 years old and that Disney failed to protect her despite warning signs.

According to the complaint, the employee groomed Lee, gave her alcohol, and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, including in his Salt Lake City hotel room and during a flight back to Los Angeles. The lawsuit states the abuse was apparent to other adults on set, with the employee reportedly making explicit comments about Lee within earshot of cast and crew. Lee's attorneys allege Disney separated her from her guardian for most of each day, violating California regulations requiring minors to be supervised at all times. Instead of investigating, Disney executives blamed Lee for a deteriorating performance and canceled her role in a subsequent production, the suit contends.

The filing describes a broader pattern of institutional failure, stating this is not...