ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. — A mother in Anne Arundel County says that her teenage daughter was sexually assaulted during Arundel High School's homecoming dance three weeks ago.
She says police were notified the night of the dance and are investigating, but claims the school refused to inform parents and students of the incident.
On Monday, a letter was sent out by the principal regarding the homecoming dance incident. In part, she stated that the decision to not send a letter out was based on the "sensitive nature of the case, a desire to protect and continue to support the victim and the scarcity of information about the suspect."
According to the letter, school staff immediately alerted county police officers who were on hand for the event and began interviewing the victim and those who were around her at the time of the incident.
The letter states that none of those interviewed could identify the suspect and only provided a description that contained a skin tone, shirt color and that the suspect was wearing glasses and had dark hair. Staff continued their investigation throughout the remainder of the dance.
A school administrator also spoke with a parent of the victim who arrived at the school and administrators spoke with the victim several times throughout the remainder of the dance.
According to the letter, at no time was anyone interviewed able to provide a name of a suspect or any description beyond the initial one provided to administrators and there were no other students that reported that he or she had been the victim of a similar act.
The full letter can be read below:
Below is a statement from Anne Arundel County Public Schools Chief Communications Officer, Bob Mosier regarding the investigation.
“Arundel Principal Gina Davenport and her staff followed all appropriate protocols and investigated the incident involving this student thoroughly both on the night of the dance and subsequent to it. While there is disagreement over whether a letter should have been sent to parents of students, the school has continued – and will continue – to work with the family and to support the student involved in this matter.”
