Plainview family claims 6-year-old was forced to perform sex acts at South Elementary

PLAINVIEW, Texas (KCBD) - In Plainview, parents and guardians are looking for answers after a tragic situation at South Elementary School.

Parents protested outside the school district’s administration building over sexual misconduct they claim happened inside a classroom.

Heather Gonzales is the older cousin of a young girl who attends South Elementary School.

“I feel like that’s a basic right, that we should send our kids to school to be safe,” Gonzales said, claiming the school district failed in this regard.

A dangerous situation was created for her young relative.

She said her family only caught on after a change in the girl’s behavior.

“She’s in distress, she’s like ‘my stomach hurts. I just want to lay down,’” Gonzales said. “You can tell something’s wrong with her. So, they said ‘what’s going on? What happened?’”

That is when the child told her cousin that a boy exposed himself to her in the lunch line at school.

Unfortunately, that was not the most disturbing part of the six-year-old girl’s story.

The girl claimed a student pulled her under a desk and forced her to perform a sex act during class more than a week before.

The incident was reportedly recorded by another student on a school iPad. The video reportedly showed the young girl doing her best to fight back.

“She said she was hitting him with the poetry book,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales asked her cousin how long the incident took place.

“She said, ‘until they let me go,’” Gonzales stated.

Gonzales claims the district was not transparent with the family, even though they knew about the situation.

“Everything was ‘no comment. I cannot tell you. No comment,’” Gonzales said. “So, you mean to tell me abuse has been happening for a week and a half and these kids are still at the same desk. My cousin is still at a desk with all boys, having to see her abusers every day.”

Plainview ISD Superintendent H.T. Sanchez commented on the district’s response.

He said when the content was found on a school device the day after the incident happened, a report was made and CPS was contacted.

A state investigator then started working with local law enforcement and arrived in Plainview the next week.

“He had asked that we hold confidentiality because he wanted to be sure that he was able to get the full story from each of the students, the minors, that were involved,” Sanchez said. “All of the steps that we’re required to take, we took.”

Now, Sanchez hopes the parents and district can work together to find a solution that works for everyone.

“We hope to find a direction with them forward,” Sanchez said. “Definitely for the young people and how we can help them heal and move forward.”

Gonzales said the district should be doing more to protect other kids.

“Are you letting these other parents know their kids could possibly be a victim next?” Gonzales stated. “I feel like, as a parent, you should know.”

The teacher who was in the classroom that day has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

CPS has confirmed there in an active investigation into what happened at South Elementary.

As for Gonzales and her family, they are organizing a demonstration to support her cousin. It is scheduled for May 5 at 6 p.m. at Broadway Park in Plainview.

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