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Last updated on Thursday, April 6, 2017
(BLOOMINGTON) - The principal at Lighthouse Christian Academy in Bloomington was charged Monday after police say she failed to report an incident of sexual battery.
Police issued Joyce Huck a summons to appear before Monroe County Circuit Judge Marc Kellams on a charge of failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor. She is scheduled to appear in court on May 9.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a parent reported on February 19 that her daughter was sexually battered by a fellow student during an overnight "lock-in" event at the school on February 11.
The incident occurred in a room without adult supervision, but there were other teens in the room when the alleged sexual battery happened.
A friend of the alleged victim told an adult chaperone the night of the incident and the chaperone then informed Principal Joyce Huck.
On February 28, deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office questioned Principal Joyce Huck.
"While speaking with Joyce, she stated she was aware that the suspect touched (the victim's) buttock inappropriately on the night of the school lock-in," read court documents. "Joyce also stated that she did not report this to the Department of Child Services or Law Enforcement."
Monroe County Police say the boy admitted to touching the girl inappropriately. He was referred to juvenile probation.
The school board president Dr. Richard Holdeman released the following statement:
"We want you to know we take seriously our responsibility for the care and protection of Lighthouse students, which includes making a report of child abuse and neglect when appropriate. We have a well-established history of making such reports to the proper authorities when we have reason to believe a child is a victim of child abuse or neglect. While we work through the question of the legal duty to report in this instance, we hope you will understand that we cannot further comment on this matter until it reaches a resolution."
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