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February 26, 2005
Police videotape teacher in sex abuse case
Police say they talked with the victim's family before setting up the hidden camera and sending the boy back into the classroom.
NARROWS, VA. - A Giles County teacher charged with sexually molesting an 11-year-old boy was caught on tape inappropriately touching the boy during band class at Narrows Elementary/Middle School, Narrows Police Chief Tommy Gautier said Friday.
Homer Lee White, 54, was charged Wednesday with six counts of aggravated sexual battery against the 11-year-old. White is the music instructor at Narrows Elementary/Middle School and band director at Narrows High School. He has taught in the county for 30 years. Gautier said police and school board members installed a hidden camera in White's band room at the school Sunday evening, following a long discussion with the boy's family, who first came to police six days earlier on Feb. 14 with allegations against White.
To explain the week that passed between the initial allegations and the installation of the hidden camera, Gautier said the boy's parents wanted time to make sure their son had been molested before going forward.
"They wanted to take some more time to make sure it was legit," Gautier said.
The parents talked to Gautier again Sunday. They agreed that placing the hidden camera in the school before going forward with the charges against White was a good idea, Gautier said.
On Monday, the parents returned to the police department with their son, who said White had touched him again, Gautier said.
"At that point we removed the tape from the surveillance VCR," he said.
Gautier refused to elaborate on how White allegedly touched the boy, but did say it occurred in the presence of a full class of students.
On Wednesday, the day White was arrested, the child and his parents met with Gautier, a Giles County Sheriff's Office deputy and a member of the Giles County Social Services, Gautier said.
Though Gautier said the video did catch White, it is the boy's statements during the interview with police and social services officials that a
re the key evidence, Gautier added.
Giles County Social Services could not be reached at the end of the day Friday to comment on the investigation and its methods.
Gautier said some people may question sending the boy back into potential danger, but he emphasized that the decision was made together with the family.
"The parents were totally behind the investigation," he said.
Narrows Elementary/Middle School principal Rick Franklin refused to answer questions Friday afternoon.
Giles County Schools Superintendent Terry Arbogast would not comment on the investigation, saying it is a police matter. Arbogast said no one else has come forward with charges or accusations against White, who has been suspended without pay.
Bond was set at $25,000 for White on Friday morning, and he was released from the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin later in the day.
As parents arrived outside Narrows Elementary/Middle School to pick up their children Friday afternoon, they voiced confusion about White and the methods police used.
Rita Hagerman, 36, of Rich Creek, whose eighth-grade son and fifth-grade daughter are both White's students, said it would be a tough decision to make to put a child at risk to catch evidence on video.
"My husband and I talked about it," she said. "If it was my child, I don't know what I would do."
Others strongly disagreed with police methods. "Once you find out about that, you remove him right away," said Ed Gilbert.
Don Waldron, who was once a teacher and retired from the Giles County School Board, said he wants to know what the video shows before he makes up his mind.
"Inappropriate touching. That means nothing to me," he said, recalling how teachers often hug and touch children without sexual intent. "It's one of those things you don't want to believe," he said.
Posted by Nealus at February 26, 2005 04:57 PM
