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NORWALK, Conn. – Two young Norwalk children say they were sexually assaulted at a Norwalk preschool in 2009 and a Bridgeport man has been arrested in the case, according to an affidavit filed in Norwalk Superior Court.
The children describe incidents that allegedly happened during nap times in 2009 at Tumblebugs Daycare, 11 Allen Road. Harold Meyers, 44, of 104 Waldorf Ave., Bridgeport, was arrested on a warrant Sunday. He has not worked at the day care since 2009.
The case was reported to Norwalk Police in August by the mother of a 7-year-old girl, who said her daughter had been assaulted when she was 4 or 5, according to the affidavit. The child's behavior had led family members to ask questions and she had begun to talk.
The victim was interviewed by forensic investigator Carol Smith Harker. The child said her teacher had put his penis in her mouth on several occasions, according to the affidavit. She did not tell because she was scared, and she thought her friend, who slept next to her, also had been assaulted, the affidavit said. Police identified the friend, who told Harker their teacher had reached into her pants and touched her with his hand, the affidavit said. He also touched her there with his penis, more than once, the affidavit said. This happened when their female teacher left the room to go to lunch, the affidavit said.
Police investigated and found the children's classroom had a bookcase in the middle that provided a secluded area.
Meyers denied the allegations during an initial interview, the affidavit said. He turned down the opportunity to take a polygraph test in a second interview, police said. Police applied for a warrant and charged Meyers with two counts of sexual assault third degree and two counts of injury/risk/impairing morals; he was arraigned Monday. Judge Bruce Hudock set bail at $150,000. Meyers' next court date is scheduled for May 7.
Meyers left Tumblebugs to pursue additional education with the Bridgeport Board of Education, where he had worked for two years as a substitute teacher for grades 1-9.
Comments (1)
I'm not sure I can even put into words what is going through my mind right now about this. Turning down the opportunity for a polygraph test? That pretty much sums it up for me as to whether he's guilty or not.
Those poor little girls. And are there more?? HOW, as an adult who should know right from wrong, do you do that to a child....steal their innocence? EVERY child who has ever been in his 'care' (if you can call it that) needs to be questioned, at least by their parents, if there was ever anything he did that 'didn't seem right' to them. Thankfully this first girl was brave enough to come forward and finally say what happened - and thankfully the 2nd was brave enough as well. I pray to God there aren't any others. My heart goes out to the families of these girls and the girls themselves.
From what I hear, many inmates don't take too kindly to pedophiles. Need I say more on that?
Oh - and lastly, did the person who hired him do any background check on him? Maybe they did and nothing showed up.... but maybe they didn't - should be looked into.