Middle school employee accused of sexually abusing teen

A middle school employee is accused of sexually abusing a teenager.

News 12 Staff

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Jan 17, 2019, 12:57 AM

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Updated 1,934 days ago

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A middle school employee is accused of sexually abusing a teenager.

The 15-year-old alleged victim used to attend the Highbridge Green School, and was a freshman at Cardinal Hayes High School in Concourse Village during the alleged abuse.

A source says that the high school freshman was being abused last year by a now-suspended employee of the Highbridge Green School.

The source is a Department of Education teacher who says he overheard students talking about the allegations. He says he heard that the victim was part of a club called the Gladiators – a club that suspect Malik Barr created at the Highbridge Green School.

"He seemed nice enough, he seemed like he was very involved in the school, with the kids so I thought he was a good man," says the alleged victim's mother.

The abuse allegedly took place at Barr's apartment.

MORE: Police: DOE employee in Highbridge accused of sexually abusing teenager

A criminal complaint states accusations that Barr rubbed the then 14-year-old's privates last winter.

Police confirmed that Barr was arrested and is now facing various charges.

The Department of Education whistleblower claims the victim was jumped outside Hayes for snitching on Barr.

The Department of Education referred News 12 to a statement it previously issued to on the matter, saying "We immediately suspended this paraprofessional without pay in November when we were made aware of this troubling allegation."

The DOE teacher who says he reported the allegations to authorities tells News 12 there are other victims who have yet to report abuse to police.

"As a parent, you feel like 'Man, I trusted this person, I trusted you with my child and for you to break that trust...right now all that I can do is give my son all the support I can," says the alleged victim's mother, who did not want to be identified.

The Archdiocese of New York said in a statement that after the school was notified of the possibility of abuse, it worked cooperatively with both the police, the special victim's unit and the student's mother to assist the student and help them deal with this situation.

News 12 is told other victims have not yet reported abuse to police.

News 12 reached out to Barr, but he had no comment.