A Montgomery County principal has apologized for not letting parents know about a sex assault involving a school contract worker and a 12-year-old student for weeks after the incident.
According to court documents, 44-year-old John Epps was working on the security cameras at Baker Middle School in Damascus Oct. 6 when he "reached out with his left hand and made an unsolicited and unwanted touch" to a 12-year-old girl.
One of those security cameras allegedly caught Epps in the act. He was arrested on sex assault charges.
Baker Middle School parents said they didn't learn about the assault until Nov. 3, when school officials sent a letter, calling the Oct. 6 incident "isolated." However, a 17-year-old high school student who was at Baker Middle School for an activity around the same time in October claims she was also inappropriately touched by Epps. No charges have been filed in that incident, though police are investigating.
In the same school system, a substitute teacher at Roberto Clemente Middle School was arrested for sex abuse of a minor Sept. 30. Parents weren't notified of that incident until Nov. 7.
"I'm sorry. That was wrong. That was wrong. That was definitely a mistake," Worthington told them.
Epps, the contract worker, had worked in more than 50 Montgomery County Public Schools. News4 found he was arrested four years ago in Anne Arundel County on similar charges.
Superintendent Joshua Starr released a letter Tuesday requesting background checks for all contractor employees.
"As a result of this incident we are reviewing our internal procedures to make sure any allegations like that involving Baker, are appropriately reported, investigated, and communicated with the school community," Starr wrote.
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Worthington plans to hold another meeting Nov. 30.
