Lawsuit alleges woman posed as parent

VERMILION — A federal lawsuit accuses Vermilion school officials of releasing a high school student to a woman who allegedly falsely claimed to be the girl’s mother and later gave the student a marijuana vape.

The student’s mother, who is the plaintiff in the case, alleges school employees failed to verify the woman’s identity before allowing her daughter to leave Vermilion High School on Sept. 2, 2025.

The lawsuit, filed Aug. 10 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, also alleges the student was punished after the incident and later made to apologize to the employee who permitted her to leave.

The Vermilion Local School Board of Education, former superintendent David Hile, Vermilion High School principal Andrew Perry, administrative assistant Elizabeth Baker and Tara Herron are named as defendants.

Release from school questioned

The plaintiff’s daughter was a new student at Vermilion High School during the 2025-26 school year, according to the lawsuit.

As part of the enrollment process, the plaintiff provided the school with identification and other information that could be used to confirm her identity.

The lawsuit alleges that information should have helped school employees determine whether someone attempting to remove the student was authorized to do so.

After the plaintiff dropped her daughter off at school Sept. 2, Herron later arrived and allegedly told Baker she was the student’s mother.

According to the complaint, Baker asked Herron for identification, but Herron said she had left it at home.

The lawsuit alleges school procedures required parents and visitors to provide identification that could be checked against information on file or to have their identity confirmed another way before a student was released.

The plaintiff alleges Baker did not take those additional steps and did not compare Herron with the identification already on file for the student’s mother.

Herron was nevertheless permitted to leave the school with the student, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint alleges the plaintiff was not contacted before or after her daughter was released.

Vape allegedly given to student

After leaving the school, Herron allegedly took the student to her home and had her clean the house.

The two later headed toward Crocker Park in Westlake, according to the lawsuit.

During the drive, Herron allegedly gave the girl a marijuana e-cigarette.

After learning what had happened, the plaintiff and the student’s father went to Vermilion High School and reported the incident.

The lawsuit states Perry, school resource officer Kenzie Chandler and a school counselor were present when the plaintiff and her daughter provided written statements.

According to the complaint, Perry and Chandler asked the student whether she understood the meaning of “grooming” and told the plaintiff and her daughter that they believed the circumstances could amount to grooming.

School discipline challenged

The lawsuit alleges the student faced discipline when she returned to school.

According to the complaint, Perry gave the student several days of in-school detention for leaving the building with an adult who was not one of her parents.

The plaintiff also alleges an assistant principal later took her daughter to Perry’s office, where the student was required to apologize to Baker.

The student was allegedly told Baker was a good employee who did not deserve to be placed in the situation, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiff argues the school’s response improperly placed responsibility on her daughter even though administrators had previously described the circumstances as possible grooming.

Herron pleaded guilty

Herron was later charged in Erie County Common Pleas Court in connection with the incident.

According to the lawsuit, Herron pleaded guilty June 16 to fifth-degree felony identity fraud.

She was sentenced to 30 days in the Erie County Jail and received additional penalties, the complaint states.

Lawsuit alleges officials failed student

The lawsuit includes a federal civil rights claim against Hile, Perry and Baker.

The plaintiff alleges their actions increased the danger to her daughter by allowing the student to leave with an adult whose identity had not been verified.

She also claims school officials failed to follow procedures designed to prevent students from being released to unauthorized people.

The lawsuit includes negligence claims against the district and other defendants, alleging they had a duty to protect the student while she was at school.

According to the complaint, the student later experienced anxiety, fear, humiliation and depression. The lawsuit also alleges she missed school, experienced educational difficulties and required medical care, including inpatient treatment.

Additional claims against Herron stem from her alleged actions involving the student and include allegations related to identity fraud and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child.

The plaintiff also alleges the incident damaged her relationship with her daughter.

Damages sought in federal court

The lawsuit asks for financial compensation, additional damages, attorney fees, court costs and interest.

No specific dollar amount is listed in the complaint. The plaintiff has requested a jury trial.

The allegations against the school district and its employees have not been proven in court. The court filings reviewed for this story did not include responses from the defendants addressing the plaintiff’s claims.

The plaintiff is not being named because doing so could identify the minor student involved in the case.

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