Editor’s note: This news story contains information about alleged child sexual abuse that may be troubling to some readers. If you know or suspect that anyone under 18 is being sexually or physically abused, call the Texas child abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400.To learn more about how to identify signs of child abuse or neglect,click here.
The head of Saint John's Episcopal School and a teacher were each charged on Friday with two class A misdemeanor counts of failure to report child abuse.
These charges resulted from an incident that allegedly occurred in January with then-teacher Mark Penfield Eichorn. Eichorn is facing an unrelated federal charge of production of child p*rnography in addition to several others.
The head of the school, Rebecca Ann McMillon, 55, was arrested Monday, according to online jail records. Teacher Kelsey Danielle Alexander, 34, was arrested on Sunday.
Alexander and McMillon were both released Monday from the Taylor County Jail on $8,000 bonds each, according to online jail records.
Alexander holds a teaching certificate in Texas for early childhood through sixth grade, according to the Texas Education Agency. McMillon does not hold a current teaching certificate in Texas.
The law does not require administrators or teachers at such private schools to have certificates from the state.
Eichorn allegedly paid two boys in Georgia to produce child p*rnography for him, according to court proceedings in Abilene. Federal prosecutors also alleged that Eichorn confessed to inappropriately touching a student at St. John's.
Eichorn has not been charged in relation to the alleged incident with the student.
His former boss, McMillon, however, now faces charges of her own.
She faces a possible year in county jail, along with a $4000 fine if convicted, according to Taylor County Assistant District Attorney Erin Stamey.
If convicted, Alexander faces the same possible punishment.
Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court beyond a reasonable doubt.
'Conducted her own investigation'
A St. John's family had reported on Jan. 18, that their child had alleged that Eichorn had inappropriately touched him, according to allegations in court documents. The child's mother subsequently called the son's teacher, Alexander, who then notified McMillon.
Alexander did not file a report with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services or law enforcement, according to allegations.
McMillon told the family that "she would investigate, speak with Eichorn, and get back in touch with them," according to the court documents.
Eichorn allegedly told McMillon that if anything had occurred, "it was inadvertent." McMillon then notified the mother that surveillance video showed that the child did not appear harmed as he was "skipping in front of Eichorn" following the incident.
McMillon neglected to inform the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services or law enforcement, according to allegations.
According to the documents, "McMillon did not deny her failure to report but stated that she conducted her own investigation."
The Texas Penal Code states that "teachers and all school employees are considered professional reporters in Texas and are required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect immediately, but no later than 48 hours after the initial suspicions of abuse or neglect," according to the Texas School Employees Guide to Reporting Suspected Abuse and Neglect.
'Don't believe all you hear'
McMillon emailed a letter from lawyer Robert B. Wagstaff to St. John's parents prior to her charges being filed with Taylor County.
More: EXCLUSIVE: Letter to St. John's parents revealed after head of school arrested
In the emailed letter obtained by the Reporter-News, Wagstaff writes that there is no evidence of any student being involved in "inappropriate photographs and the promotion or distribution of such."
Wagstaff then discusses, however, the "'possible' incident" which is the subject of McMillon and Alexander's recent charges.
McMillon apparently "did not believe that anything improper had taken place," and according to the letter, "did not report the incident."
The attorney states that the incident was the only one reported to the school before Eichorn's arrest.
Wagstaff notes that there are allegations that it was "a sham investigation" due to monetary contributions given to St. John's by Eichorn and his family.
These allegations are "simply false," Wagstaff said in the letter.
Wagstaff did state, though, that Eichorn gifted the school $4,340 in auction purchases at fundraisers with the majority being spent on a pair of Leddy boots and that was the only contribution from Eichorn or his family.
"Don't believe all you hear," he said in the letter to parents. "No school can guarantee the complete safety of every student every day."
Wagstaff then says that McMillon "has been vilified and defamed by a number of you multiple times" and that Eichorn "is the only one at fault here."
This letter was dated July 2. McMillon's charges of failure to report abuse were filed on Friday.
Letter-To-Parents at Abilene Private School by Denise Nelson on Scribd
More on the federal hearing What happened to Abilene ex-teacher going on trial for a child p*rnography charge?
Additional charges filed in Abilene Abilene ex-teacher accused of child p*rnography faces additional charges
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene school head charged with failure to report child abuse
