As tort claims add up, Boise School District faces lawsuit in child porn case
Parents of a former Valley View Elementary School student sued the Boise School District Thursday over the alleged sexual abuse of their child while enrolled in a special-education program.
This is believed to be the first of seven tort claims — precursors to lawsuits — filed against the district involving now-deceased special education assistant Gavin Snow to reach the next stage in the legal process.
In the lawsuit, which the Idaho Statesman obtained Friday, the parents allege that Snow, who worked at Valley View and Cynthia Mann elementary schools, sexually abused and photographed their child on multiple occasions in the school’s sensory room and possibly the classroom bathroom.
Boise police began investigating Snow on Jan. 7 after the district contacted them about allegations that Snow was producing child pornography. After confiscating Snow’s electronics, officers found evidence of child exploitation and the production of child sexual abuse materials, according to a news release at the time. Snow was placed on administrative leave by the district.
On Jan. 10, officers attempted to arrest him at his home off of Mountain View Drive in Boise, according to a police report. Snow attempted to flee through his backyard, and when an officer asked him to stop, he took his own life, the report said.
The family’s lawsuit states that on Jan. 16, a Boise police detective informed them that their child was one of Snow’s victims. In February, the family took the child out of Valley View, stating they “no longer trust the schools nor school personnel with their (child’s) safety and well-being,” according to the lawsuit.
The family filed its tort claim against the district in March.
In an email to the Statesman, school district spokesman Dan Hollar said the district would not be commenting on pending litigation.
“That said, we remain committed to transparency and the safety and well-being of our students and staff. On April 9, 2025, we issued a public statement outlining the steps we’ve taken, including an independent investigation, implemented changes, and continued cooperation with law enforcement,” Hollar wrote in an email.
The district had not responded to the lawsuit as of Tuesday morning, according to the family’s attorney, Matthew Gunn.
The district’s internal investigation outlined areas in which the school failed to adequately protect children, according to the new lawsuit. it found that Valley View’s Special Learning Center was understaffed, there were issues with how the school managed the sensory room and there were not adequate policies for staff helping children who needed assistance using the bathroom.
The lawsuit requests damages of at least $10,000 and attorney’s costs of at least $5,000, but says actual damages should be much greater.
“While damages have not yet been calculated, it is expected that damages will be in excess of $1 million,” the family’s tort claim in March stated.
The parents of the child are requesting a jury trial.
The seventh tort claim regarding Snow’s employment — seeking $50 million in damages — was filed June 12. In it the parents of a former Valley View student claimed the school did not adequately supervise Snow and did not report suspected cases of abuse, Idaho Education News reported.
This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 4:06 PM.
