South High Principal, Staffers Return To School
DENVER (CBS4)– The principal of South High School and three other staffers have returned to school after being placed on leave during an investigation into an alleged sexual assault of a student.
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann filed a motion for a special prosecutor to take over the investigation and judge approved that request on Tuesday.
Four Denver Public Schools administrators were placed on leave amid the sexual assault investigation.
In a letter sent to South High School families, the deputy superintendent states principal Jen Hanson and student adviser Lynette Lucero did report the allegation in a timely manner.
They had been accused of reporting the incident after a two-week delay in learning about incident.
Instructional Superintendent Sean Precious and Barbara Downing were also placed on leave Friday and were back at work, as well.
Police tell CBS4 they are investigating whether school officials followed state law with an alleged incident of reporting "inappropriate touching" between students.
A source close to the investigation told CBS4 the concerns surround an alleged assault that happened during the school's homecoming bonfire on September 17.
The source said male students forcibly groped a 17-year-old senior, and she reported the assault to school staff within a couple days.
However, Denver Police are investigating if administrators complied with the mandatory obligation to report abuse to authorities right away.
According to DPD Spokesperson Sonny Jackson, they were made aware of the alleged assault on September 27, nearly two weeks later.
Police also tell CBS4 the parents of the student reportedly assaulted are not pressing charges against the other students.
According to Colorado's Mandatory Reporting law, all officials and employees of a public school are required to report child abuse if they "have reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect." C.R.S. § 19-3-304.