A woman on Thursday accused former Cheer Athletics coach Jason McCartney of sexual abuse, claiming that he sexually abused her when he was a teenager, and she was a child.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Carrie Methvin, 36, according to court documents, says McCartney allegedly abused her over a period of several years starting when she was five years old. She also accused Jason McCartney’s mother, Bonnie Jean Budd McCartney, of allegedly being aware of the abuse and failing to report it.
According to Methvin’s claims, Methvin and her mother lived in the home of the McCartneys, who were family friends, in South Texas for a while. She said most of the abuse happened there. Methvin said she tried to tell Bonnie about the abuse, but she did not attempt to stop it or report it, Methvin alleges. Methyin’s attorney, Tuegel, said Methvin has text messages which stand as proof that Bonnie was aware of the abuse.
In court records, Mevthvin said that McCartney used a toy doctor’s kit to touch her the first time she recalls the abuse taking place. After that incident, McCartney began to touch her inappropriately. He also made her touch him, the lawsuit says.
According to Methvin, the abuse got frequent as McCartney got older, and he would touch her as she practiced her cheerleading and gymnastics skills.
Her attorney Simpson Tuegel said that he believes Methvin was McCartney’s first victim. Her allegations match that of the other women who have made claims of sexual abuse against the coach.
Methvin is seeking more than $1 million in damages in the lawsuit which was filed in Travis County.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Methvin said in a written statement that she hopes her lawsuit will serve as an inspiration for other victims to come forward and ensure McCartney and other adults who knew about his alleged atrocities, but turned a blind eye, are brought to justice.
Before Methvin, a series of litigations have been filed against McCartney. In July 2021, 22-year-old twin cheerleading-stars Hannah and Jessica Gerlacher accused him of sexual abuse, the Dallas Morning News reports. The twins said the abuse began when they were 15, and McCartney would touch them inappropriately while pretending to spot them.
Two more women anonymously came forward last December alleging the coach of touching them inappropriately while acting as their spotter.
After hearing about the other accusers, Methvin was encouraged to come forward and share her story, Tuegel said. Addressing questions of why she came forward, the attorney said that her only motive is “to be a support to the other women and to seek accountability.”
Per The Dallas Morning News, Tuegel also represents the other women who have accused McCartney of abuse.
