WELLINGTON, Fla. — WPTV is digging in deeper into the training school employees go through as mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse.
This comes after five Palm Beach Central High School employees, including the principal, were arrested Monday for failing to report a student’s alleged sexual assault.
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Under state law, all school employees are considered mandatory reporters. That means they have an obligation to report suspicions of child abuse, neglect, and abandonment, including sexual abuse.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has a page on its website where school employees or anyone can make those reports.
School staff receives training on the mandatory reporting.
Angela Cruz Ledford, a spokeswoman for the School District of Palm Beach County, released the following statement to WPTV on Wednesday:
"Our policy aligns with Florida law, which mandates that certain individuals are designated as mandatory reporters. These individuals, which may include teachers, school administrators, counselors, and other school staff, are required to report any suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment to the appropriate authorities.
We understand the gravity of this responsibility and the impact it has on our students' lives, which is why we go above state requirements by requiring all District employees to complete online training through the Florida Department of Children and Families. At the School District of Palm Beach County, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students."
Principal Darren Edgecomb, 58, along with assistant principal Nereyda Cayado De Garcia, 57, assistant principal Daniel Snider, 49, teacher Scott Houchins, 53, and school behavioral therapist Priscilla Carter, 55, were arrested Monday on charges of failure to report sexual abuse.
The arrests shaking the community stem from an April 2, 2021, alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl by a 15-year-old boy off-campus.
The arrest report said that on June 16, 2021, a student wrote a note about her friend being sexually assaulted and having suicidal thoughts. She gave that note to Houchins, who turned it over to Carter.
What followed next, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, was a series of meetings and discussions with various administrators, but the alleged assault was not reported to law enforcement or the Florida Department of Children and Families.
WPTV has learned that four of the five employees arrested have been employed with the School District of Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. All have been reassigned to positions away from students.
The district expects to have information about new leadership at the school on Monday.
