A former teacher at a middle school in Arizona has been arrested and faces charges of luring and kidnapping after he allegedly pretended to have a middle school daughter and invited a student over for sleepovers.
The teacher, Brendan Barnett, 36, has not worked at Verrado Middle School in Buckeye, Arizona, since the allegations came to light, Litchfield Elementary School District said in a statement shared with ABC15.
On April 12, 2024, school district officials reported to police that Barnett had "possible inappropriate chats" with a 12-year-old female student using the school’s online communications portal, police said on Facebook.
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At the time, Barnett still taught at the middle school, but was "immediately removed from the classroom" after the school learned of the allegations, the district said in the statement shared with ABC15. While Barnett was under investigation, he was not allowed on school property, and "his employment with our district ended on May 14, 2024."
Investigators discovered that the 12-year-old student was alone with Barnett at his home at least three times. He reportedly told the girl's parents that he had a daughter who was a student at Verrado Middle School, according to police.
But police learned that Barnett doesn't have a daughter who attends the school, and instead say he pretended to have a daughter so he could invite the 12-year-old girl to his home for sleepovers.
"Detectives learned Barnett lied to the victim’s parents when inviting her to his central Phoenix home for sleepovers," the police wrote on Facebook. "Barnett claimed he was the parent of a Verrado Middle School student who would be attending the sleepovers."
According to the school district's governing board meeting minutes, obtained by Fox 10, Barnett taught sixth grade history at the school.
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The teacher was indicted on one count of luring a minor for sex and three counts of kidnapping. Police and the US Marshals Service found Barnett at a library in Phoenix on July 10, and arrested him.
The school district said in a statement that "Barnett had completed a fingerprint and background clearance check prior to his employment with the district, and until now, there had been no reports of misconduct brought forward by students, parents, or members of the school community," as per ABC15.
