STAMFORD, CT (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A Connecticut elementary school teacher was arraigned on Monday for a dozen sexual assault charges involving students, as detailed in a newly released arrest warrant.
Andrew Park, 33, a fifth-grade teacher and former girls' basketball coach at Strawberry Hill International Baccalaureate School, was charged last Friday with 12 counts of sexual assault, 12 counts of risk of injury and 12 counts of illegal sexual contact with a victim under 16 years old, Stamford police said.
An investigation started in February after a student was late to class because she was trying to avoid Park who made her feel uncomfortable, the warrant read.
Police found that Park allegedly touched 12 students in sexually inappropriate ways. Each of the students was taken into a forensic interview in which they shared details of their encounters, police said.
According to the warrant affidavit obtained by the Hartford Courant, Park allegedly gave candy to students aged 11 to 13 in exchange for hugs in his classroom.
He would allegedly sometimes give the girls kisses on the forehead, smell their hair, and call some of them “babe” or tell them that he loved them, according to the warrant.
The victims also stated that Park allegedly would pull them in for hugs and move his hand down towards their buttocks, placing his hands on their thighs as well, according to the warrant.
Another victim alleged that Park would give compliments and tell her he loved her and told police that during multiple hugs, “Andrew would go over her and made sure that he touched her buttock,” the warrant read.
One victim alleged that Park kissed her on the forehead at school and would call her “babe,” “pretty girl” or “pretty baby.”
On Friday, the Stamford Police Department Family Services Unit also executed a search and seizure warrant at Park’s residence in Fillow Street, Norwalk.
In addition to the interviews with the students, the warrant states that police discovered Park was a photographer who took yearbook photos. Investigators found a photo collage in his classroom containing only photos of female students. Additionally, Park allegedly violated school policy by purchasing pizza for certain children and communicating with them outside of class.
Several students reported feeling uncomfortable with Park's behavior to their parents or other teachers, according to the warrant.
According to prosecutor Elizabeth Moran, some of the girls started wearing their backpacks lower on their bodies to prevent Park from groping them.
Following the allegation, Park was placed on leave from the school on Feb. 12, according to the warrant.
The Department of Children and Families initially declined to investigate Park until the mother of a victim called twice, according to the warrant.
Police said that “the Department of Children and Families notified this agency of the allegations which prompted our investigation.” Police also said that they “have been in contact with the Stamford Public Schools superintendent’s office throughout this investigation.”
Park worked at the school since 2019 and has no prior criminal record, according to the warrant.
On Monday, the judge upheld Park's bond at $175,000 but allowed his family to post 7% to bond him out.
Park will be on house arrest with GPS monitoring, the court ruled. Park is not allowed to have any contact with the alleged victims or with minors.