Classes resume in TX after unrest following child sexual assault claim

Classes resumed Wednesday, May 10, at South Elementary in Plainview, Texas, after two straight days of cancellations due to “threats of violence.” Parents and residents are outraged over how the school district is handling a sexual abuse claim involving a 6-year-old girl. Now a juvenile has been arrested in connection to online threats made Tuesday against Plainview ISD.

The juvenile, who is charged with terroristic threat, a third-degree felony, was taken into custody Wednesday. Detectives with Plainview law enforcement determined a juvenile of Floyd County intentionally made threats against students and staff via social media app Snapchat.

Online threats against Plainview ISD began amid protests outside South Elementary where people are outraged that school officials allegedly failed to notify the parents of a first-grader who claimed she was sexually assaulted by a classmate.

According to the victim’s cousin, the young student told her family that a boy had exposed himself to her while in the lunch line at school back in April. She later reportedly mentioned that a week before that incident, she was pulled under a desk and forced to perform a sex act on a male student. The latter incident was recorded by another student on a school-issued iPad.

The following day, the kids’ teacher allegedly found the locked iPad and sent the device to IT to be opened. That’s when the video, which reportedly shows the attack and the girl trying to fight off her attacker, was uncovered and school officials were notified. But the girls’ parents reportedly were not told.

The girl’s cousin, Heather Gonzalez, told KCBD that the school admitted to the incident only after they were confronted by the family. The family has since hired an attorney. 

On April 8, the school district announced it has involved the FBI in the investigation and referred the police investigation to the Hale County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Wally Hatch did confirm with Straight Arrow News that Plainview ISD turned over information and materials to his office.

In a statement, released by the Plainview ISD on May 9, officials said school doors would reopen on May 10, but amid heightened security measures. The one-page statement focused on the threats made against Plainview ISD, and how they’re addressing those threats. The reason behind the threat was only mentioned at the end of the statement.

“Lastly, Plainview ISD continues to collaborate with the FBI on the incident among students at South Elementary. We await their assessment of the matter,” the district concluded in their statement.