CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Both Kanawha County Schools and the Charleston Police Department are in the middle of separate investigations after allegations arose of a Horace Mann Middle School teacher having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
For the first time since the allegations became public, the student’s family spoke out alongside their attorney Mike Cary.
Lisa Valdivia, the mother of the 11-year old boy at the center of the allegations, said on Friday in front of the media that she just wants justice.
“I just want justice for my son and for other children who may be going through the same thing,” she said.
“It’s unfair, it shouldn’t have happened. School is somewhere your kids go to be safe, not to be manipulated and taken advantage of.”
Valdivia said she heard from the principal of the school last week that her son came forward with text messages on his phone from the teacher.
According to Valdivia and Cary, the teacher was then let go last Thursday.
“I was physically sick,” she said. “Go through your kid’s phone, know what is on there. You can delete all you want to but in the end, you’re going to find it.”
Valdivia, who already had a child go through the school and two more younger than her 11-year old son, said it scares her for the future. She said she never wants the teacher in this case to be in the classroom at any school again.
“I guess you never know,” she said. “You never think it’s going to happen to you so it’s not something you can predict happening. You just hope and pray it doesn’t happen.”
Lt. Autumn Davis, spokesperson for the Charleston Police Department, has said no one has been charged as the criminal investigation continues.
Cary said they are still gathering the facts of this matter and do not want to move too quickly on a lawsuit for the sake of the child.
He said on Friday that this alleged incident will affect the family for the rest of their lives.
“We want to make sure that this 11-year old child is receiving the proper care, the psychiatric treatment that he deserves,” Cary said. “It takes strong parents to be a voice for the children, to be an advocate and to stand for what is right.”
The suspect’s name has not been made public.
Kanawha County Schools released a statement to MetroNews on Friday saying,” Kanawha County Schools has been aware of allegations against a Horace Mann Middle School teacher. While we cannot comment specifically on any personnel matter, as with any similar allegation across the county, we would immediately follow any and all applicable actions within the employee discipline policy (G25).”