This story appeared Saturday, May 18, 2002 but has disappeared from the internet.
Fifth-grade boys charged in sexual battery case:
Bunkie: Three fifth-grade boys who allegedly fondled girls in a classroom at Bunkie Elementary School have been arrested on sexual battery charges, police said.
Two of the boys were arrested Monday, and another boy was booked late Wednesday. Charges have also been filed against a fourth boy, and at least one other boy could be arrested, Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s detectives said Thursday.
A police investigation found the boys allegedly pinned girls to the chalkboard and fondled them when the teacher left the classroom, detectives said. One of the boys allegedly kept watch at the door in case the teacher returned.
Seven girls were reportedly victims of the attacks, which began in February, police said.
School Superintendent Ronald Mayeaux said that the investigation into the matter is “essentially complete” but he doesn’t know yet whether the boys will be suspended or face expulsion. That decision will be up to the principal and the assistant principal, he said.
One of the victim’s mothers said Thursday she brought her child to school Tuesday only to discover the boys were still in her daughter’s class.
She said the principal told parents that they had no choice but to take the girls home until the school system could work something out.
The next day, the mother said, the girls were placed in different classrooms, while the accused boys remained in the original classroom.
“It is not right to uproot these girls from their normal classrooms and leave the
boys there, “she said. “These girls are the victims”.
This is the only follow-up that we could find -- and appeared on May 27, 2002:
Louisiana: Fifth-grade students accused of abuse
Louisiana lawyer turns in list of witnesses in 5th-grade fondling case
05/27/2002
BUNKIE, La. – An attorney has given authorities a list of students who allegedly saw
some fifth-grade boys fondling six girls in a classroom at Bunkie Elementary School.
Attorney Mike Johnson, who represents the girls, said the witnesses will testify that the
girls fought against the fondling, which one boy's mother has said was consensual.
School officials suspended six boys and five girls,
saying there were different levels of participation among them, and may expel a seventh
boy. Sheriff's deputies have booked three boys with sexual battery.
Mr. Johnson said that, once the Avoyelles Parish sheriff's office completes its
investigation, he plans to sue the pupils' teacher, the Avoyelles Parish school board and
an administrator.
He turned over the witness list Friday.
The girls told their parents May 1 that a group of boys had pinned them against a wall and
fondled them while the teacher was out of the classroom.
After a group of mothers filed charges against several boys, school officials began their
investigation.
The sheriff's office is continuing to investigate and plans to interview pupils not
involved in the alleged fondling.
Mr. Johnson said he was also representing a boy who said he witnessed the fondling but was
"harassed and browbeaten" by a school administrator until he became ill and
sought counseling.
There was no answer at the home of Avoyelles Parish Superintendent Ronald Mayeux on
Sunday.
Bunkie is in central Louisiana about 70 miles northwest of Baton Rouge.