Former baby star Stacie Orrico has filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles in opposition to her former supervisor, alleging years of childhood sexual abuse, and asserting that a number of music trade entities failed in their responsibility to guard her.
According to Peoplethe civil grievance, filed on January 6, names Britt Ham in addition to a number of company defendants, together with Universal Music Group and ForeFront Records. Orrico is searching for unspecified damages and has requested a jury trial.
The submitting marks a significant authorized transfer by the singer, who grew to become a family title in the early 2000s as a teen pop star with a powerful crossover presence in each Christian and mainstream music.
Orrico first broke by means of together with her debut album Genuine in 2000 and later scored her greatest hit with “(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life,” which peaked contained in the Billboard Hot 100. Her follow-up single, “Stuck,” additionally charted and was featured in the Disney Channel film Stuck in the Suburbs.
According to the lawsuit, Orrico started working with Ham early in her profession after profitable a Christian music competitors as a preteen. The grievance alleges that Ham grew to become her supervisor quickly after she signed with ForeFront Records and that he maintained authority over her skilled affairs for a number of years.
The submitting additional alleges that trade executives and affiliated firms have been conscious of crimson flags regarding the relationship however did not intervene.
In a press release included with the lawsuit, Orrico stated, “The music industry failed to protect me when I was a little girl. It has taken me years to become strong enough — but I am ready to fight for every young and innocent person who has been, and continues to be, harmed in the music industry and in the Church.”
The grievance states that Orrico delayed taking authorized motion because of years of remedy and private battle, and that she is now searching for accountability for what she describes as lasting hurt to her life and profession.
Court paperwork additionally be aware that her time in the music trade ended abruptly in the mid-2000s, shortly after the discharge of her second album, Beautiful Awakeningwhich earned her a Grammy nomination.
If you or somebody you understand has been the sufferer of sexual assault or exploitation, assist is on the market. In the U.S., confidential assist may be accessed by means of the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 (HOPE) or on-line at RAINN.org, the place educated professionals can be found 24/7.