Chesterfield County, Va. (NewsradioWRVA.com) - Chesterfield Police confirm that they have arrested a Thomas Dale student and charged him with rape and abduction.
Police say they were made aware of reports from the school on February 25 that a juvenile female had been sexually assaulted by a juvenile male at the school. Once the investigation had started, police had learned that the boy had forced the girl into a bathroom and assaulted her.
Following the investigation, detectives had requested and received juvenile petitions for the 15 year old boy for rape and abduction. He was arrested on Monday and is currently at Chesterfield Juvenile Detention.
The following is a statement from Chesterfield Public Schools:
"The school division has been in continuous contact with Chesterfield Police throughout their investigation. These are very serious charges, and the school division takes very seriously our responsibility to provide a safe and supportive learning environment. Students who violate student conduct regulations are subject to suspension and/or expulsion, and, if the offense is a violation of the law, to prosecution.”
Shawn Smith
Spokesman, Chesterfield Schools
The following is a statement from Thomas Dale principal Dr. Anthony McLaurin:
“I am aware that you are not accustomed to hearing from me at this time of day. Please rest assured that your children are safe in school today. We work daily to provide our students and staff members with a learning environment that is safe, supportive and nurturing. We take that responsibility seriously and appreciate the confidence you have in our staff members to support your child's needs.
Chesterfield County police informed us that they have charged a Thomas Dale High student with a criminal offense related to an incident that is alleged to have occurred on campus several weeks ago. Because of an ongoing police investigation involving juveniles, we are unable to provide any details. However, please know how seriously we take your expectation that we provide a high-quality learning experience in a safe school. We will continue to take every reasonable step to meet that expectation, and we also have supports in place to assist students who express concern.
Students who violate student conduct regulations are subject to suspension and/or expulsion, and, if the offense is a violation of the law, students are subject to prosecution. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. If you have any information to share about this alleged incident, please contact our school resource officer.
Thank you for your continued support of Thomas Dale High School.”