Mark Berndt, the 61-year-old former elementary school teacher accused of lewd acts with children, was investigated for fondling a student in 1994. Los Angeles County Sheriff Sgt. Dan Scott told the L.A. Times that officials at Miramonte Elementary School, where Mr. Berndt taught for over 30 years, reported an “attempted fondling” on a 10 or 11 year old girl in 1994. The girl reported that he attempted to fondle her over her clothing near her genital area. A Los Angeles County sheriff’s detective investigated and presented the case to the district attorney’s office, which then rejected the case, Scott said.
Meanwhile, community outrage continues to grow over why parents were not notified sooner about the allegations and why Berndt is still being paid a $3900 monthly pension. Berndt, who is accused of blindfolding students, gagging them and feeding them semen, was not arrested until Monday, although police became aware of him in late 2010 when a photo lab technician called police after viewing photos that Berndt was having developed.
School officials were shown the photos in January 2011 and he was immediately suspended. Berndt then hired a legal firm to challenge his dismissal and resigned before the district could officially fire him, thereby ensuring his lifetime pension from the California State Teachers' Retirement System.
Mr. Berndt, who is being held on $23 million bail, faces life in prison charges without possibility of parole.
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