Overview
A former teacher and the Head of School at St. John's Episcopal School in Abilene, Texas, have been arrested for failing to report allegations of child abuse related to a teaching assistant, Mark Eichorn, who was separately arrested on child pornography charges.
Arrests and Charges
- Kelsey Alexander (former teacher) and Rebecca McMillon (Head of School) each face two counts of failing to report child abuse.
- Both are accused of not notifying authorities about reported inappropriate conduct involving Eichorn, as required by law.
Incident Timeline and Details
- In January 2024, a parent reported to Alexander that Eichorn inappropriately touched their child.
- Alexander informed McMillon, who then questioned Eichorn, contacted the parents, and reviewed surveillance footage, concluding nothing inappropriate had occurred.
- McMillon told the parents Eichorn was just helping with a belt and the child was unharmed, noting video showed the child behaving normally afterward.
- Neither Alexander nor McMillon reported the allegation to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services or law enforcement.
Related Child Pornography Investigation
- In May 2024, Mark Eichorn was arrested after a cyber crimes investigation found lewd photos of children on his cell phone.
- He was arrested at the school while working as a teacher’s assistant.
- Abilene Police Department issued a public notice to determine if there were more victims.
Legal and Professional Obligations
- Texas law mandates professionals such as teachers and school administrators report any suspected child abuse within 48 hours.
- Both Alexander and McMillon are licensed professionals who had direct contact with children and are thus required to comply.
- McMillon admitted to not reporting and instead conducted her own investigation.
Institutional and External Responses
- Texas Private Schools Association emphasized the importance of reporting all abuse allegations and mandatory training for staff.
- St. John's Episcopal School declined to comment on the arrests.
Decisions
- Neither Alexander nor McMillon reported the alleged abuse to authorities.
- McMillon conducted an internal review rather than contacting law enforcement or child protective services.
Action Items
- TBD – Accreditation Commissions: Ensure continued enforcement and monitoring of required abuse reporting training in private schools.
- TBD – School Administration: Review and reinforce mandatory reporting procedures for all staff to comply with state law.