Disney Sued by Former Child Actress Alleging Grooming and Abuse on Set
A former child actress has sued Walt Disney Studios for negligence, alleging that a male employee groomed and sexually assaulted her on the set of the 2001 Disney Channel movie The Poof Point. Raquel Lee claims the misconduct occurred at a hotel in Salt Lake City where the cast and crew stayed and later on a flight back to Los Angeles. She also alleges that explicit comments were made on set, audible to sound technicians, yet no one intervened.
Lee was 14 years old when the incidents allegedly took place. Her performance declined after the alleged abuse, and Disney executives reportedly blamed her, saying she was 'out of control' and needed 'Jesus.' They canceled a forthcoming role for her.
This is not an isolated claim. Lee's lawsuit describes a 'long pattern at the studio' and states that 'this is not the first time that Disney has enabled a sexual predator to target and abuse vulnerable victims.'