Southern California Jurors Award $4.5M After Teacher Molest

San Diego County, Calif. jurors have awarded two girls $4.5 million because they were molested by their Carlsbad elementary school teacher.

The North County Times says jurors also ruled unanimously Monday that the Carlsbad Unified School District was negligent for failing to supervise the teacher.

After the verdicts were read, some jurors cried and hugged the mothers of the victims.

In his 2010 criminal trial, 41-year-old Raymond Firth pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery and one of false imprisonment. He spent 22 months in prison and was released in March. He did not attend the civil trial.

He will be responsible for 60 percent of the award, the school district for 40 percent. An attorney for the district says he doesn’t know if they will appeal.