Principal on Leave, School Sued in Child Porn Case: Update

Updated at 8:30 p.m.

GLENARDEN, MD — The principal at Sylvania Woods Elementary School, where a classroom volunteer reportedly directed students in child porn videos, has been placed on administrative leave as the school district and principal face a lawsuit from a young victim.

Principal Michelle Williams is also being questioned by a Prince George’s County Public Schools employee review body, WJLA reports.

Since the arrest of suspect Deonte Carraway, 22, of Glenarden was announced Monday, the FBI has joined the investigation.

Authorities believe more children may have been victims in the case and ask anyone with information to call the FBI’s Baltimore office at 800-CALL-FBI or call the Prince George’s County Police at 301-772-4930.

SEE ALSO: Teacher’s Assistant Made Child Porn In Elementary School: Police

A lawsuit reportedly filed against Prince George’s County Public Schools claims that the predatory behavior of Carraway was well known by students, teachers and parents and reported to the school’s principal, says WTOP. A search of Maryland online court records did not show the lawsuit.

The guardian of a 9-year-old boy allegedly assaulted by Carraway has filed the legal action. An adult relative of the boy first discovered a sexually explicit photo Carraway sent to the child via cell phone, and reported it to police, which launched the investigation.

According to the lawsuit, other students were also sexually abused by Carraway, who coerced youngsters to engage in sex acts with him and with each other on school property during the school day.

Other students in the victim’s fourth-grade class, perhaps as many as 30 children, may have been victims of Carraway, the plaintiffs claim.

“Carraway’s abuse was common knowledge among students at Sylvania Woods,” WTOP reports the lawsuit says. “Parents and teachers at Sylvania Woods Elementary School had expressed concern and/or raised issues about Carraway’s predatory behavior to Principal Michelle Williams, but she took no action.”

Carraway’s family members released a statement Wednesday, WUSA reports, that said they are shocked by the suspect’s behavior and are assisting police in the investigation.

The full statement says:

“First and foremost, we would like to express our extreme shock and deepest sorrow over the actions of Deonte Carraway that have been reported over the last few days. As a family who loves him dearly, we must stress that we do not condone the behaviors in question that has victimized numerous families and brought unimaginable fear and sadness to our community as a whole. Our prayers and thoughts are with the innocent victims and their families during this trying time. We ask that the media takes into account that we are also victims of what has transpired and respect our privacy as we continue to cope with this new reality. Lastly, we want the public to know that we are in complete support of the ongoing legal investigation and will continue to assist law enforcement in any way we can. Please keep our family in your prayers.”

Carraway has been charged with 10 counts of felony child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree sexual offense. Additional charges are likely, police said.

Investigators say Carraway targeted victims and videotaped sexual acts between minors during the school day at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School. Detectives believe sex abuse occurred and child pornography was produced at the Glenarden Municipal Center and Theresa Banks Memorial Aquatic Center, as well as in private homes.

Carraway was a paid assistant at the elementary school during the 2014-2015 school year, and was a volunteer teacher’s assistant this school year. Carraway was also the director for the Glenarden Voices of Youth Choir.

So far, detectives have identified at least 10 victims ranging in age from 9 to 13, shown in an estimated 40 videos performing sexual acts on each other or alone at the direction of Carraway. Investigators believe Carraway sexually abused some of the victims.

Carraway is being held by the Department of Corrections on a $1 million bond.

»Photo of Deonte Carraway, courtesy of Prince George’s County Police