Former student sues Trinity Academy over former teacher’s arrest, conviction for sex crime

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Wichita Trinity Academy student is suing the private Christian school over the case of a former high school teacher’s sex-crime arrest in 2021 and sentencing in 2022.

Matthew McFarren, a religion teacher and assistant football coach, was convicted of having sex with a student and sentenced to nearly three years in prison.

On March 20, Wichita Trinity High School senior Matthew McFarren was arrested for illegally volunteering… — On March 20, Wichita Trinity High School senior Matthew McFarren was arrested for unlawful consensual intercourse with a student.(Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office)

A lawsuit filed in Sedgwick County District Court names Trinity Academy among three defendants in the case. The lawsuit also names two people it plans to sue for “negligent employment and negligent supervision” in connection with the case against former Trinity Academy teacher Matthew McFarren.

McFarren was a high school teacher at Trinity Academy from May 2020 to March 2021 and, according to court filings, is accused of using his position as a teacher “to isolate, groom and sexually abuse” the former student, identified in the lawsuit filed against him. school as “Jane Doe”.

In court documents, “Jane Doe” says she suffered $250 million in damages, including medical expenses and mental anguish. The suit also alleges that before hiring McFarren, Trinity Academy and its officials knew or had reason to know that he had engaged in misconduct.

In March 2021, Wichita police arrested McFarren, then 41, for unlawful consensual intercourse. The Wichita Police Department said it was notified that month of possible sexual relations between McFarren and a 16-year-old student.

On March 20, 2021, McFarren was arrested on a warrant following a traffic stop in Sumner County.

After McFarren’s arrest, Wichita police said Trinity Academy officials were cooperating with the investigation.