WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — All charges were dropped Friday against the former employees of Palm Beach Central High School who were accused of failing to report a suspected sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl off-campus in 2021, the state attorney's office said.
Former principal Darren Edgecomb, assistant principal Nereyda Cayado De Garcia, chorus teacher Scott Houchins and school behavioral therapist Priscilla Carter will no longer face prosecution.
They were arrested on July 24, 2023.
Marc Freeman, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office in Palm Beach County, said the teen victim at the center of the charges was unable to recall "material aspects" related to the case.
"The family of the victim has been consulted and agrees with our decision to end the prosecution," Marc Freeman, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office in Palm Beach County, said in a written statement Friday.
Edgecomb's trial was set to begin on Monday to face felony charges, but the state attorney's office said Friday it will no longer prosecute the case.
Edgecomb's attorney had argued the former principal didn't have enough information at the time and followed school board policy by investigating the claims.
The former principal did later report the case, but prosecutors initially said he should have done it sooner.
Assistant principal Daniel Snider was also arrested in the case, but he already successfully fought to have his charge dismissed late last year.
Carter's attorney, Ari Goldberg, released the following statement after his client's charges were dropped:
"We're thankful that the State Attorney's Office has made the right and just decision to abandon its prosecution of Ms. Carter, who executed her duties correctly, thoughtfully, and most importantly, lawfully. Ms. Carter is a career public servant who was undeserving of the charge levied against her. She looks forward to putting this unfortunate and unfair episode behind her."
The state attorney's office released the following statement on the case:
Today the State Attorney's Office informed the court that it would no longer continue with the prosecution of five Palm Beach County School Board employees on failure to report sexual abuse allegations involving a minor.
While prosecutors had a good-faith basis to file the charges in July, recent developments and discoveries in the case significantly impacted our ability to successfully prosecute this case.
First and foremost, the teen victim at the center of the charges is now unable to recall material aspects of the events at issue. Not only does this greatly reduce any reasonable likelihood of success, it would not be in the best interest of the child to be subjected to the rigors of cross-examination during five separate trials.
It has also come to light that School Board reporting policy is conflicting, ambiguous and unclear regarding allegations of abuse involving only minors.
Recently, prosecutors learned that an uncharged school district administrator knew about the incident and did not report it, and gave instructions to the school principal that did not include an order to report the suspected abuse. A School District police officer present for the victim's statement also did not report it.
It is apparent that School Board training has not sufficiently emphasized mandatory reporting requirements. It appears that not one person up and down the chain of command had knowledge of this law.
Combined, these factors effectively remove the chance of a successful prosecution at trial.
While we strongly believe that the rights of sexual abuse victims must be protected, the prosecutions in this matter must come to an end.
The family of the victim has been consulted and agrees with our decision to end the prosecution.
CONTINUING COVERAGE:
- How are school employees trained to report suspected child abuse and neglect?
- 'Grave alarm:' U.S. Sen. Rick Scott wants arrested Palm Beach Central High School staffers fired
- District 'committed' to having Palm Beach Central 'ready to go' following arrests, superintendent says
- Palm Beach Central staffers may have known about alleged sexual assault of girl months before parents
- Palm Beach County schools 'go above state requirements' in training to report abuse, district says
- How to discuss Palm Beach Central High School allegations with your children