Additional information has become available after officers with The Colony Police Department arrested a Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) elementary school teacher near the end of April.
John Leslie Collett was taken into custody on three charges related to his alleged sexual assault of a female student at Camey Elementary School, where he worked.
Collett was booked at the Denton County Jail on April 20 and is currently being held on a combined bond of more than $1 million, according to jail records.
Prior to his arrest, the Flower Mound resident was named best elementary school teacher in 2022 by Best of Denton County.
Police are charging him with aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, and improper relationship between an educator and a student.
“Anytime accusations are made that someone has hurt a child, it is the very worst possibility we face. Mr. Collett was placed on administrative leave as soon as the district became aware of the allegations. While the police and legal system are now doing their work, our focus will remain on the wellbeing of our students. A specialized team of highly trained counselors are on campus today and will continue to support our campus and any students or staff in need in the days ahead,” LISD said in a statement, per WFAA.
The improper relationship and indecency offenses were allegedly committed on April 5, and the aggravated sex assault charge purportedly occurred on April 12. The victim was reportedly 10 years old.
She told her parents that the incidents occurred in Collett’s classroom after school, at what turned out to be a sham afterschool club.
The girl’s mother reportedly told authorities that every week her daughter “goes to [Collett’s] classroom after school … [and] he gives her a kiss goodbye then closes the door and leaves her in the classroom alone while” attending to other things, according to Fox 4.
On April 5, Collett reportedly touched the girl in an inappropriate manner. This allegedly happened again on April 12 after “she sat on his lap, got a piece of candy, and fell asleep while on his lap because she was tired.”
LISD parent Georgia Provitt told Fox 4 it is important that parents speak with their children about notifying authorities if someone touches them inappropriately.
“It can be anybody. It can be your preacher, family member, best friend, parent,” Provitt said.
Collett is not the only educator currently facing such charges in North Texas.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, two Dallas Independent School District employees were recently arrested, one in April and another in March. Both were accused of having taken part in an improper relationship between an educator and a student.
While the City of Dallas does not keep publicly accessible running counts of crimes against children committed within the city limits, the Dallas Police Department keeps a count of sexual assaults.
As of Monday, 199 sexual assaults were reported in Dallas this year.
