Daycare worker allegedly coerced fellow employee into sexual relations, suit says

A woman has filed suit against an O'Fallon daycare and one of its employees, alleging the employee coerced her into sexual relations, then fired her when she refused to have additional sexual relations.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, claims she worked at defendant LaPetite Academy from November 2006 until June 2008.

Throughout Doe's career at the daycare, her supervisor repeatedly made sexual comments toward her and inappropriately touched her, according to the complaint filed June 3 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

"Jane Doe's supervisor, Lynn Fexer, would make inappropriate sexual comments towards Jane Doe and asked Jane Doe to have sex with her and her husband," the suit states. "Jane Doe eventually consented to her supervisor's sexual harassment and Jane Doe had sexual relations with Lynn Fexer."

Later, Jane Doe later informed Fexer that she no longer wanted to have sexual relations with her, the complaint says. In turn, Fexer informed Doe she could no longer work at the O'Fallon daycare, but had to be transferred to the Belleville daycare, Doe claims.

Doe did not want to transfer and reported Fexer's conduct to LaPetite's managers, according to the complaint. Still, LaPetite told Doe that if she refused to transfer, she would be forced to resign on June 20, 2008, the suit states.

"Jane Doe lost her job as a direct result of the sexual harassment, refusal to have sexual relations with her supervisor and her reports to managers of the harassment by her supervisor," the complaint says.

Doe claims she suffered emotional distress, mental anguish, pain, suffering, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life and lost wages.

In her complaint, Doe is seeking a judgment of more than $300,000, plus costs.

She will be represented by Michael J. Brunton of Collinsville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-278.