Stanwood Chiropractor Sued by Parents of 11-year-old for Sexual Predation Against Daughter

The claim highlights the minimal consequences placed on the owner of Stanwood Family Chiropractic

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The parents of a Stanwood Washington girl today filed a lawsuit against Brandon Falk, a Stanwood Washington resident who pled guilty to criminal charges after secretly video-recording their daughter changing clothes in his home while on a playdate with Falk’s daughter.

The girl, referred to as K.G. in the complaint, was 11 years old at the time of the incident. Falk was arrested and charged with a felony count of voyeurism.

The civil lawsuit states that K.G. was at Falk’s waterfront home for a beach playdate with his then-11-year-old daughter. After swimming, the complaint states K.G. changed out of her bathing suit in Falk’s bathroom when she discovered a phone hidden behind shampoo bottles, facing the bathroom and actively recording.

According to Simeon Osborn and Austin Neff, partners of the law firm Osborn Machler, who filed the claim on behalf of the young girl’s family, the suit seeks to hold Falk accountable for his actions.

“Falk’s actions have had a devastating impact on K.G., causing her an enormous amount of emotional damage,” Osborn said. “In a single, sickening action, he’s robbed her of her innocence.”

In September 2023, Falk entered into a plea agreement and pled guilty to a lesser charge of criminal mistreatment in the fourth degree after prosecutors were unable to try him on the more severe charge of voyeurism.

According to a report by the Island County Sheriff’s Office, Falk hindered law enforcement’s ability to access the video as part of their investigation by refusing to provide the passcode to his phone upon request.

“K.G.’s family was very disappointed that the Island County prosecutor did not try Falk for felony voyeurism, instead allowing him to plead out to a misdemeanor,” Neff said. “We believe what he did to our client – an 11-year-old girl – warrants a more severe penalty. We can use the civil justice system to hold him accountable.”

K.G.’s parents appealed to the court, detailing the emotional damage Falk has inflicted, citing that she suffers from anxiety and depression, and likely faces years of therapy.

“Trying to explain to a middle school-aged child why an adult would want lewd pictures and videos of themselves is something that no parent should ever have to do,” said Holly Gran, K.G.’s mother. “Our daughter wasn’t even old enough to understand sexual intentions, and this unending nightmare flipped her entire worldview upside down – she was unjustly robbed of her innocence.”

According to the complaint, K.G. and her mother brought the phone to Falk and his wife after K.G. discovered the phone and called her mom.

“When we confronted Falk, it was clear to me that he knew he was caught – he refused to apologize, look at the phone or even make eye contact,” Gran said.

According to Gran, Falk constructed an excuse, saying he was trying to play music before showering, and the phone – hidden behind shampoo bottles – somehow began recording on accident.

“Our daughter has spent countless nights crying herself to sleep in disbelief that someone she trusted would harm her,” added Gran. “It’s utterly disgusting that someone would cause a prepubescent child to deal with such trauma, trust issues and to lose their entire childhood wonder.”

After pleading guilty to criminal mistreatment in the fourth degree, Falk spent seven days in county jail. As a condition of his plea agreement, Falk is currently not allowed to be alone with a minor child outside the presence of another adult who is aware of the situation involving K.G.

Falk currently faces charges from the Washington State Department of Health, which oversees medical professionals, including chiropractors. The charges stem from the incident involving K.G. and allege an act of moral turpitude, dishonesty, or corruption by Falk.

“This situation is every parent’s worst nightmare,” added Osborn. “The Grans are showing their bravery by doing everything they can to remedy the damage Falk caused to their child and prevent this from happening again to another child in the Stanwood community.”

The lawsuit was filed in Island County Superior Court on June 4, 2024.

Case number 24-2-00316-15.

About Osborn Machler

As the premier law firm in Washington state for sexual abuse and child endangerment, the attorneys at Osborn Machler represent plaintiffs seeking justice for sexual misconduct. The firm is noted for taking difficult cases and successfully settling or bringing them to trial. It has extensive experience representing injured persons against federal, state, and local governments. You can learn more about the firm, its cases, and its expertise at www.osbornmachler.com.

Contacts

Sim Osborn (206) 441-4110

Osborn Machler [email protected]

Mark Firmani

Firmani + Associates Inc. [email protected]