Six Survivors Take Legal Action Against Cherry Hill School District for Alleged Sexual Abuse by Former Teacher in the 1980s

CAMDEN, N.J., April 22, 2025 – Six former students have come forward with lawsuits against the Cherry Hill School District and its Board of Education, alleging a sixth-grade teacher sexually abused them during the 1970s and early 1980s. The most recent legal filings, made this month in Camden County Superior Court, bring the total to six cases (four newly filed and two from 2023).

The lawsuits center on Otto Becken, a former teacher accused of sexually abusing male students during school hours and on a school-sponsored overnight trip to Mt. Misery, a nature camp. The complaints include graphic accounts of abuse such as anal penetration, oral sex, fondling and sexualized comments. Plaintiffs also accuse District officials of failing to report suspected abuse to New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), as was required by law at the time.

Becken joined the Cherry Hill School District in 1970. According to court filings, by 1977, administrators were already aware of his inappropriate behavior toward students. One survivor alleges he saw Becken abusing a child in the presence of the then-principal of Cooper Elementary, who took no action. Despite clear warning signs, the District continued to place Becken in classrooms with sixth-grade students, allowing the abuse to continue. The plaintiffs, who were between the ages of 11 and 12 at the time, say they have suffered long-term emotional and psychological trauma as a result.

In 1984, Becken reached a deal with the District allowing him to resign and surrender his teaching license. The following year, he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault.

Derek Braslow, an attorney for the plaintiffs, has a personal connection to the case as a Cherry Hill East graduate and former classmate of several survivors. “This case is personal to me,” he said. “This is a case about institutional failure, and these complaints allege that the District had clear warnings and should have known about Becken’s behavior, yet did nothing to protect the children under their care.”

These lawsuits are being brought under New Jersey’s Child Victims Act, passed in 2019, which significantly extends the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Attorney Jeffrey Fritz, who is also representing the survivors, emphasized the importance of this legal development: “Through this recent change in the law, which recognizes that it can take years or even decades for survivors of child sexual abuse to come forward, our clients can finally seek accountability and civil justice for the harm inflicted upon them.”

One of the earlier plaintiffs, Chuck Wicker, now 54, filed his case in 2023. He reflected: “Like so many others, it took me a while to come forward, but it will have been worth it if it will help protect children in New Jersey.”

Another survivor who filed this week, referred to as John Doe, 20, added: “No child should ever suffer this kind of victimization at a time when they are to be protected.”

The attorneys are urging anyone with information about Otto Becken or related incidents within the Cherry Hill School District during the 1970s or 1980s to come forward. Even small pieces of information could help support the case. All communications will be handled with full confidentiality and care.

ACTS LAW
Derek Braslow, Esq.
Phone: 833-ACTS LAW
Email: dbraslow@actslaw.com
Website: www.actslaw.com

Soloff & Zervanos – Cherry Hill, NJ
Jeffrey P. Fritz, Esq.
Phone: 445-456-2710
Email: jfritz@lawsz.com
Website: www.soloffandzervanos.com

###

This release is intended to raise awareness about the lawsuits, support survivors, and encourage anyone with relevant knowledge to reach out.