Episode 8: Michael's Story—Civil Justice Warrior

Welcome to The Lionhearted, a podcast featuring stories by the brave and badass people who spend their lives fighting the one thing absolutely no one wants to talk about - child sexual abuse. 

The story we are talking about today requires a longer than usual intro and a trigger warning right at the outset because of the shocking details of the crime. We will cover the case of the largest single payout that any school district in the country has ever paid to date: 139 million. 

It involves the Miramonte Elementary School which is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Our guest today, Michael Carrillo, was one of the civil attorneys for the dozens of victims and their families who won this monumental civil case. The offender is a guy named Mark Berndt, who was a long time beloved teacher at the school who, among other things, exposed himself to students, fondled students, and fed his semen to these elementary school kids. 

This is an important story, as there are lessons to be learned, and we are so grateful for this frontline look into this.

Trigger Warning:

Please note that this episode contains depictions of sexual violence that some people may find disturbing. If any of the content in this podcast has brought anything up for you, please reach out or speak to someone you trust.

Darkness to Light also provides links to resources for support. 

Show resources: 

• Michael Carrillo’s Bio 
• LAist Article about the Miramonte Civil Lawsuit 

Additional resources: 

• Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dermoot Lipsky
• Trauma Proofing Your Kids by Peter Levine, Maggie Kline
• Trauma and Childhood Development resources by Darkness to Light
• Darkness to Light National and State Resources
  
  

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Creators & Guests

Host

Andrea Harner

Child Forensic Interviewer

Producer

Amanda Kelso

Helping important stories get out there.

MC

Guest

Michael Carrillo

What is The Lionhearted Podcast?

The Lionhearted is a true crime podcast spotlighting the brave badasses who spend their lives fighting the one thing no one wants to talk about - child sexual abuse. Join your host, forensic interviewer Andrea Harner, as she gets up close and personal with these unforgettable stories.