A Forsyth County school principal is accused of failing to report an alleged sexual abuse of a teacher.
The same teacher later went to work at another daycare, where she is now accused of assaulting a student.
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The website of Cornerstone Schools on Browns Bridge Road in Cumming lists Angela Martin as the president. Now she has a photo of herself after being charged with failure to report and reckless conduct.
Researchers in Forsyth County said Channel 2 Action News When Martin heard about a reported case of abuse involving a three-year-old childcare worker and Tulsi Patel in the spring, she did not report it to police.
It was weeks later in July that the same employee was hired at Kids R Kids on Webb Bridge Road in Alpharetta. And less than two weeks after she started work, a father told us—at the time—that he found his 4-year-old daughter angry when he picked her up.
“The lady asked who did it, who hurt you and she pointed to the teacher,” the father said.
Patel is now in custody in Fulton County, charged with child molestation and aggravated child molestation.
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And Kids-R-Kids, the organization that hired Patel, responded to the arrest in a statement saying, among other things:
“It has come to our attention as a result of investigations in two Georgia jurisdictions that the school where this individual previously worked, Cornerstone Schools of Cumming, GA, received reports from children and parents earlier this year of similarly troubling behavior. It is incomprehensible that these reports were not immediately brought to the attention of the Department of Family and Child Services (DFACS) or law enforcement. The failure to act on these reports has had devastating consequences, and the children and families impacted by this blatant breach of trust are now scarred for life. We stand with the families affected and call on Cornerstone Schools and its leadership team to formally apologize and take full responsibility for their actions. It is imperative that they not only acknowledge the pain and suffering caused, but also take steps to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.”
As for Angela Martin, the president of Cornerstone Schools, the Department of Early Care and Learning said Tuesday that she “cannot be present at a licensed child care program in Georgia.”
Channel 2 Action News sent emails to the director of Cornerstone Schools, but received no response.
Forsyth County detectives continue to investigate the three-year-old’s case.
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