Teacher accused of molesting 8-year-old told her to ‘keep it our secret,’ Texas cops say

A Texas elementary school teacher is accused of inappropriately touching an 8-year-old student several times, according to police and media reports.

Ryan Patrick England, 33, was charged Wednesday with aggravated sexual assault of a child, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said in an email to McClatchy News.

England is a first-grade teacher at Judson Independent School District, according to the school system’s website. He has reportedly worked for the San Antonio district for eight years.

The school district did not name England but told McClatchy News a teacher “has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”

The victim’s father reported the alleged abuse to police, according to KSAT.

The father told police England touched his daughter in the classroom during and after school, the TV station reported.

England is accused of giving snacks to the girl and telling her to “keep it our secret,” according to WOAI.

England’s bail has been set at $75,000, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The school district informed parents of the allegation in an email Thursday morning.

“Please be assured that we take this and all allegations very seriously,” the statement said. “JISD Police and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a thorough investigation in the interest and safety of our students. We understand that the safety of your child is of the utmost importance and we assure you that it is our top priority to keep our students in a safe learning environment.”

This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Teacher accused of molesting 8-year-old told her to ‘keep it our secret,’ Texas cops say."