Garland ISD employee on leave after allegedly photographing an elementary school student in the bathroom

Updated at 2:34 p.m. with a statement from the police.

A Garland ISD employee is on administrative leave after allegedly taking photos of a female elementary school student while she was in the restroom.

The incident reportedly took place during the week of March 29 at Abbett Elementary, according to an email sent to parents on Thursday, April 1.

Abbett Principal Kelly Williams said in the email that police are investigating the incident and affected families have been notified.

“In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and to protect student privacy, the Garland Police Department will conduct the investigation,” Williams said.

Rachel Blakemore, a parent of an Abbett student, said when she first received the email, she assumed it was a notification for a reported COVID-19 case within the school.

“My heart dropped when I read the content of the email,” she said. “As a mother and the spouse of a social worker employed by CPS, I am glad that the district is taking action, but I would like to have some answers regarding the scope and severity of this incident.”

In an email, Garland police public information officer Pedro Barineau said the investigation is in “the early stages.”

“At this time, we have not determined if a crime has occurred; however, we are working as quickly as possible to find out what happened,” he said.

District spokeswoman Caren Rodriguez said Monday that they did not have further information about or an update on the incident. The district did not release the name of the employee.

“The safety and security of our students is always a priority in Garland ISD,” Williams said in the email to parents. “We will remain vigilant in maintaining a safe and secure environment every day.”