HOUSTON – A former Alief Independent School District teacher is accused of inappropriately touching students on multiple occasions.
Jorge E. Castellon, 51, was charged with improper relationship with a student and indecency with a child.
The investigation began on Dec. 18, 2018, after a student's mother told the Alief ISD Police Department that her daughter was harming herself, according to court documents. When police asked the girl why, she stated that Castellon sexually abused her in second grade in 2016 at Best Elementary School when she was 9 years old, according to court records.
The girl told police that Castellon would touch her genitals and sit her on his lap multiple times and that students witnessed the behavior, according to court documents.
After police started to investigate, they found records showing that Castellon was a teacher at the time of the alleged abuse and that two additional girls made claims that they were touched inappropriately by Castellon during a summer session during the 2013/2014 school year, according to court records. The girls said Castellon would rub and touch them across their legs and chest and massage their shoulders and that he always wanted to hug them, according to court records.
The school district's human resources department conducted an investigation and found the girls allegations to be insufficient evidence to go forward with those charges, according to court records.
Castellon denied all allegations the two girls made and resigned that school year. He then worked at Fort Bend Independent School District, according to court documents.
On Jan. 10, investigators interviewed the two girls who made the previous allegations against Castellon and they told investigators that he had touched them inappropriately and made them feel uncomfortable, according to court records. Investigators also interviewed students from the girl's class who possibly witnessed the abuse.
According to court documents, a student told investigators that she saw Castellon touching two different girls on several occasions. When police tried to contact Castellon for an interview, he refused to come and give a statement, officials said.
Some parents of students at Best Elementary were shocked to hear the district didn’t take any action towards Castellon.
“He shouldn't have been eligible to be at the school. He shouldn't have been around kids again,” said one parent.
A mother said that, oftentimes, children are too young to speak up.
“It’s scary because kids get scared and don’t want to say anything,” she said.
Castellon was arrested on Tuesday.
Alief ISD released the following statement:
"An investigation by Alief ISD and the Alief ISD Police Department of a recent allegation of improper conduct by a former Alief ISD teacher, has resulted in the Harris County District Attorney accepting felony charges against the teacher.
"Although the teacher has not been an employee of Alief ISD since the 2015 school year, the district’s foremost priority is to ensure all allegations of improper conduct are thoroughly investigated."