Pre-Teen Cadet Sues Missouri Military Academy for Alleged Sexual Abuse

A new lawsuit filed by the family of a 12-year-old boy against the Missouri Military Academy (MMA), an all-boys boarding school in Audrain County, north of Columbia, details disturbing sexual abuse allegations.

The lawsuit, obtained and reviewed by Military.com, claims that MMA was seriously negligent and enabled the sexual abuse of the juvenile defendant and multiple other minors by other older cadets enrolled at the academy.

"Defendant MMA knew that some cadets reached puberty sooner than others and that those cadets may become stronger and more sexually developed than younger cadets, and that the older cadets may develop an increased libido," part of the 17-page lawsuit filed on April 8 reads.

It also states, “Defendant MMA knew or should have known of the risk that older, stronger, sexually aroused cadets with a history of psychiatric, psychological, neurological, mental health, and/or behavioral disorders may pose to younger cadets.”

Military.com reached out to the MMA and received a statement vehemently disputing the allegations.

“At Missouri Military Academy, the safety and well-being of our cadets are our highest priorities. The allegations in the lawsuit are unsubstantiated and without merit,” reads the statement issued by MMA President Richard Geraci. “Upon becoming aware of any alleged incident of misconduct, we immediately initiate an investigation in accordance with our established procedures and notify parents.

"As necessary, we involve appropriate outside agencies. At no point has any evidence suggested wrongdoing by MMA, as the lawsuit alleges. The Academy intends to vigorously defend this matter.”

The statement goes on to defend the academy’s reputation.

“We are proud of the education we provide to the young men accepted into our Academy,” the statement reads. “That education is grounded in our core values of respect, honor and integrity.”

Allegations of Abuse

Prosecutors claim that during the 2025-26 academic year, the 12-year-old was reassigned to a dorm room with a teenage defendant identified as John Doe after Doe's previous roommate reported sexual conduct.

On Sept. 1, 2025, the boy claimed he had been raped and sodomized multiple times over the next four days, with Doe only stopping during staff member patrols.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages in excess of $25,000 along with a jury trial, alleging multiple counts of negligence and negligent supervision.

“By accepting the custody, care and control of minor children into their school and Dorms, Defendant MMA owed a special duty of reasonable care to protect cadets from foreseeable risks, including protection against foreseeable criminal acts of third parties,” reads part of the lawsuit. “Defendant MMA knew or should have known to assign cadets of similar ages and physiques as roommates to ensure their safety and to protect them from larger, more aggressive, and more physically and sexually developed cadets.”

However, a significant portion of the court filing details dozens of incidents of past sexual assaults, physical assaults, runaway cadets, lack of surveillance and supervision, and inadequate responses from staff, between the years 2020-2026.

Past Lawsuits Against the Academy

Military.com uncovered a separate lawsuit back in 2022, where court documents showed that another minor cadet at the academy attempted suicide at his home to "not have to return to the MMA.”

In this latest suit, the academy is being held responsible for the 12-year-old cadet’s alleged sexual assault, with detailed references to a history of police reported assaults over the past six years.

“The aforementioned events show that Defendant MMA is fully aware that the unaddressed staffing needs, supervision failures, and procedural deficiencies exposed it’s [sic] cadets to potential harm,” the lawsuit continues. “By failing or refusing to resolve its systemic organizational problems, Defendant MMA fostered a dangerous unregulated environment in which minor cadets were left exposed to persistent abuse at the hands of their peers.”

The Missouri Military Academy was founded in 1889 by Colonel Alexander Frederik Fleet, Sr. a prominent educator from Virginia and a veteran of the Confederate Army who had a vision to open a new school in Mexico, Missouri. He was the first president of the Missouri Military Academy.

Its website claims the school’s mission “empowers young men to unlock their potential through a program of academic excellence; character and social development; health, wellness and physical growth; and leadership training within a structured environment.”

The academy is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). It also has various academic affiliations including the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States, the Boy Scouts of America, and the National Association of Independent Schools.