Their silence concerning the sexual assault of a 10-year-old student lands trio in jail.
3 AT SCHOOL TARDY IN REPORTING CHILD ABUSE
By Mike Glenn
Houston Chronicle
February 14, 2012
Staffers at a charter school in La Marque are accused of taking almost three weeks to inform authorities that one of their students reported being sexually assaulted, Texas City police officials confirmed Monday.
The three employees at Mainland Preparatory Academy were each charged last week with failure to report child abuse. Police said the girl, 10, told the school officials that she had been assaulted in mid-December by a man identified by authorities as Derrick Wayne Reed, 29.
"It was not reported to (Child Protective Services) or a law enforcement agency until Jan. 4," said Capt. Brian Goetschius.
State law mandates that school workers are required to report allegations of child abuse to the proper authorities within 48 hours.
Goetschius said the three school workers were questioned about what happened. Texas City police identified them as Diane Merchant, 58, Wilma Green, 67, and Rayshandra Ashthon, 29. They have since been released on bail and could not be reached for comment.
Reed was charged with aggravated sexual assault. On Monday, he was still at large. Texas City police they have been in contact with his attorney.
"He is in the process of surrendering but we are still actively looking for him," Goetschius said.
The girl told police she was assaulted in Texas City.
Reed has no connection with Mainland Preparatory Academy, officials said.
"It's an unfortunate incident and they have been a good partner in our community," Goetschius said. "They've educated and tutored a lot of children successfully."
1 comment:
Good. Those bozos knew, or should have known, what their legal obligations were. That wasn't an honst whoops. It was at best gross malfeasance, and maybe deliberately so. Screw them, they have nothing coming.
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