'Vile Incident': Number of Child Victims Increases

GLENARDEN, MD — The number of elementary students victimized by a classroom aide, who reportedly directed students in child porn videos and assaulted them during school hours, has increased to 12, officials said Thursday.

When the arrest of suspect Deonte Carraway, 22, of Glenarden was announced Monday on 10 counts of felony child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree sexual offense, police warned that more victims were likely.

Investigators and school officials have asked anyone else who may have been a victim of Carraway to come forward. Police said they found 40 videos Carraway made of children engaging in sex acts at the suspect’s direction.

The school system is holding a meeting Thursday night at the elementary school for parents to discuss the ongoing investigation, FOX DC reports.

Parents told WUSA that they want to learn more from school officials on the best way to talk to their children about the incident, especially if they want to determine if their child was a victim. And other parents simply want to know why they didn’t hear about the arrest and criminal acts sooner.

At a press conference Wednesday night, authorities said two dozen families have spoken with police in connection with the sexual assaults at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School, where Carraway reportedly directed students in child porn videos, and assaulted at least seven students. Principal Michelle Williams has been placed on administrative leave as the school district and principal face a lawsuit from a young victim, WJLA reports.

Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell said Wednesday that Williams was removed from her duties “out of an abundance of caution.”

Maxwell said his office first learned of the arrest on Saturday morning, and immediately reached out to families affected.

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

Children have been through refresher training this week in recognizing and reporting inappropriate touching, school officials said.

Comments from Press Conference

County, police and school officials denounced Carraway’s reported actions as a ”vile incident” and a ”heinous act.”

Interim Police Chief Hank Stawinski urged parents to call police if they need tips in how to talk to their children about the allegations.

County Executive Rushern Baker: “Every child in this county is our baby, and it is our job, it is my job, to protect them from predators like the one that we arrested. I’m asking all Prince Georgians to keep these children and their family in your prayers during this unbelievable time.”

Board of Education Chairman Dr. Segun Eubanks: “We send (our children) to school and we expect them to be safe … so when our safe haven is violated, and it is done so in such a vile and painful way, we are deeply disturbed.”

Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell: “As a father, grandfather, and educator that has dedicated my life to the education and safety of students across the state of Maryland, my heart goes out to the families and victims at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School and the entire Glenarden community. I, like many, was shocked, appalled, disgusted, and disheartened by the allegations that a former PGCPS employee harmed students and vulnerable children.”

Lawsuit Filed By Abuse Victim

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 12 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