Private School Student Faces Adult Charges Over Filmed Costa Rica Assault
Prosecutors have revealed disturbing details about a sexual assault case involving students from an exclusive private school during an overseas trip. Vaughn Griffith, a 15-year-old elite golfer and former class president, has been indicted as an adult for allegedly filming the violent attack on a 14-year-old classmate during a school trip to Costa Rica last April.
The Horrific Incident Unfolds
The alleged assault occurred during a trip to Costa Rica involving students from The Alexander Dawson School in Summerlin, Nevada, where annual tuition costs $32,500. According to charging documents, the bullying began with classmates stripping the victim naked and throwing his clothes onto a balcony at the Hotel Manuel Antonio.
Two days later, the situation escalated dramatically. Prosecutors allege that three boys pinned the victim down on a bed, pulled down his pants and underwear, and subjected him to a prolonged sexual assault. The attack reportedly involved the use of various objects including a flute, a Chapstick tube, and toothpaste, while the victim cried and screamed in pain.
The Video Evidence
Griffith stands accused of filming the entire two-minute-and-sixteen-second assault and allegedly posting it on Snapchat while saving it to his memories. Police documents describe how the camera angle shows the victim clearly under stress as he's held down, with the footage then reversing to show Griffith and other boys laughing.
According to investigators, the video captures the victim being repeatedly punched as he tried to end the attack, with one boy allegedly urging him to fight back while Griffith reportedly threatened that if he did, they would cut off his penis. The recording allegedly concludes with one boy stating "It's clearly sexual" and another saying "Assault" before the camera turns to show Griffith's face.
Delayed Reporting and Investigation
The victim initially kept quiet about the assault because he "didn't want them to get in trouble," according to court documents. When school staff questioned him and four other boys about reports of spanking, they all claimed it was harmless horseplay, and no action was taken at that time.
Eventually, the victim confided in his stepmother, who reported the incident to school principal Roxanne Stansbury. Police began investigating in May and later discovered the horrific video of the attack. Griffith was taken into juvenile detention on July 29, just eight days after being named 'Sportsperson of the Year' by the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association.
Legal Proceedings and Adult Charges
Clark County District Court Judge Linda Marquis ordered in October that Griffith be charged as an adult due to the seriousness of the allegations. In her decision, she wrote that Griffith's "possession of a video depicting a horrific group sexual assault of his classmate was heinous and egregious."
Judge Marquis acknowledged that Griffith "comes from a supportive family, attended a private school, maintained an excellent GPA, was elected class president, and is an award-winning, elite golfer," but ruled that these factors had little bearing on the case. She determined that "the safety of the community requires transfer to the adult system."
Current Legal Status
Griffith was indicted by a grand jury on January 15 and pleaded not guilty during a court appearance last Thursday. He has been released on a $20,000 bond posted by his family with strict conditions including no internet use except for school purposes, no contact with the victim, staying away from minors except his sibling, surrendering his passport, and staying out of trouble.
The teen faces charges of possessing a visual presentation depicting the sexual conduct of a child, a category B felony punishable by one to six years in prison. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 23, with a trial date set for October.
Disparate Treatment Concerns
Griffith's lawyer, Joshua Judd, has raised concerns about what he calls "disparate treatment" in the case. "We are concerned about what is clearly disparate treatment between how Vaughn is being treated compared to other, similarly situated, individuals," Judd told local media.
None of the other three boys allegedly involved have been charged as adults, and it remains unclear whether they were charged as minors since juvenile records are sealed. Whether Griffith directly participated in the sexual assault is also unclear, as he is only charged with possessing the video, not with committing the assault itself.
School Response and International Complications
The Alexander Dawson School's lawyers issued a statement acknowledging awareness of the "serious allegations involving male middle school students" during the Costa Rica trip. "We take any such allegations incredibly seriously and promptly reported them to law enforcement once brought to our attention," the statement read.
Complicating matters further, local police in Costa Rica said this week they were unaware of the allegations. For charges related to the assault itself to be pursued, Costa Rican authorities would need to press charges independently of the Nevada proceedings.
The case continues to develop as legal proceedings move forward, highlighting serious questions about student safety during overseas school trips and the appropriate handling of juvenile offenders in cases involving extreme violence.
