(NewsReady.com) – Teachers are supposed to be people children can trust. Sadly, some of them are predators. That’s what Washington police have accused a substitute special education teacher of being after he was arrested a second time.
On June 6, officials with the Bellevue School District contacted the Bellevue Police Department after a parent reported that her 8-year-old child said they were sexually assaulted by 73-year-old Robert Scroggs. The suspect was a substitute teacher for kids with special needs at Newport Heights Elementary School.
Reports accuse Scroggs of repeatedly taking the child out of their classroom to address their “social, emotional, and behavioral issues.” While they were outside of the class, the substitute would allegedly assault the child. Authorities arrested the suspect on June 7 and charged him with child molestation in the first degree.
The police department implored parents to speak up if they believed their child was a victim as well. On June 24, officers arrested the suspect again and charged him with another count of child molestation in the first degree.
After the first arrest, detectives received multiple tips from the community. A 9-year-old girl came forward and accused Scroggs of inappropriately touching her during class.
Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley commended the community for their help. He said that law enforcement often preaches that if people see something, they should say something. That’s what police believe happened in this case. He said that the arrest of the substitute teacher should “serve as an example to everyone that if someone doubts [their] safety or well-being,” they should reach out to the police.
Scroggs worked at Newport Heights Elementary School from January 2024 to April 2024. The police department believes there might be more victims. They have asked anyone with tips to contact the non-emergency line at 425-577-5656 or Detective Sgt. Brenda Johnson at [email protected].
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