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Teacher in WA's Skykomish School District arrested
Parents told FOX 13 Seattle he was arrested during the school day by the King County Sheriff's Office.
SKYKOMISH, Wash. - The arrest of a male teacher in the Skykomish School District shocked students and staff Friday.
Parents told FOX 13 Seattle he was arrested during the school day by the King County Sheriff's Office. He was later booked for investigation of child rape and having an inappropriate relationship with a young student.
Parents say the allegations against him are disturbing. The Skykomish School District is small, with parents telling us there are only about 50 to 60 students enrolled in grades PK-12, and they say the allegations have shaken their trust in the district.
"I’m shaking right now because I’m pretty irritated about this," said Maria, a parent of a young child in the district.
Maria, who didn't want her last name used for privacy reasons, said that her son was in school at the time and saw the teacher taken into custody.
"He saw him arrested, and he was very upset about it," said Maria.
The district released a letter that read, "On Friday, King County investigators arrived at Skykomish K-12 School to arrest a male staff member during the school day. The District had no advance notice that the employee was under investigation until the day of his arrest."
The full letter from the district is pictured below.
"He was teaching class, they pulled him out of the gym and took him downstairs where my son saw him. They took him out the door and to a vehicle," said Maria.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says the teacher was booked for investigation of child rape.
"When you have allegations like this, it’s especially concerning, even more so when you have somebody in a position of authority like this, a teacher," said Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Court documents state the crimes started when the victim was a 7th grader, with acts happening inside the school, the gymnasium, closets and the teacher's office.
Court documents state that the victim's mom discovered what was happening and she reported it.
Court documents indicate that in addition to the victim's statements, investigators found other evidence, including video from a church parking area, where they say the teacher's truck "was recorded on the church’s security camera".
He was also accused of purchasing "restraints" and other items from an adult store, which investigators say he admitted to after his arrest.
"These cases are difficult to read about, and they are hard for everybody involved, but we appreciate the work of the sheriff’s office," said McNerthney.
Investigators said in court documents the suspect also"conducted a walk-through of the school and identified locations in his classroom, the stairwell, and the stage, in which he had engaged in sex acts".
The sheriff's office said in court paperwork that the teacher had also "admitted to observing naked pictures and videos" and admitted to driving by the victim's house "over summers and breaks".
He also allegedly stated several times he was guilty and asked investigators to "take him to jail and to tell his wife that he was guilty."
Parents like Maria are now demanding answers.
"We are concerned we don’t understand why this could happen," said Maria.
She says she is considering pulling her own child out of the district.
He's being held on $750,000 bail and the prosecutor's office says there could be a charging decision as early as Wednesday.
Parents tell me the district has told them it has planned a meeting for school families on Monday.
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