When children go to school, parents trust that teachers and administrators will keep them safe. Not that those in charge will be the ones who cause harm. However, a California assistant principal was recently charged with molesting eight elementary students.
A community is reeling after David Lane Braff Jr.’s alleged crimes came to light. Although he was an assistant principal at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles when arrested, Braff previously worked as a counselor at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula. And he now faces serious charges.
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On November 22, Braff was charged with 17 felony counts of lewd acts on eight students, according to a news release. The victims were between the ages of 6 and 10. They were students at McKevett Elementary School.
“Braff is also accused of a number of special allegations and aggravating factors in the criminal complaint,” the release from the Ventura County District Attorney’s office. They included crimes that “involved planning and sophistication and that the children entrusted to the defendant’s care were particularly vulnerable.”
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko noted the alleged crimes occurred between 2015 and 2019.
“The defendant is alleged to have molested multiple elementary school children over a number of years, shattering the trust placed in him by parents, educators, and the public,” Nasarenko wrote.
Nasarenko encouraged others with more information to come forward.
“We intend to vigorously prosecute this case and encourage others to come forward who may have information about additional victims and crimes,” Nasarenko continued. “Given the defendant’s history of re-occurring access to children, this investigation and prosecution remains ongoing.”
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In a statement shared via X, the Santa Paula Unified School District expressed that it is “aware of the recent arrest of a former employee regarding allegations of sexual abuse that occurred while the individual was employed with the District in 2018.”
The statement continued, “At the time of the allegations, the District took immediate action by launching an internal investigation and working in close collaboration with law enforcement. The District remains fully committed to transparency and accountability and is continuing to cooperate with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office in its current proceedings.”
Meanwhile, Ingenium Charter Middle School issued its own statement.
“We take the safety and well-being of our students as our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community,” the statement read, per NBC LA. “We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and will continue to provide any assistance necessary to support the investigation. Our thoughts remain with those affected.”
As of writing, Braff is in custody at Ventura County jail with a bail of $3 million, NBC LA reported. He will appear at Ventura County Superior Court on Monday, November 25.
Authorities urged those who see “suspicious conduct” or those who believe they were victimized by Braff to contact Ventura County District Attorney Investigator Greg Webb at 805-477-1627.
