3rd Grade Teacher In Aurora Arrested For Indecent Exposure
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- A third grade teacher in Aurora has been arrested for indecent exposure.
Michael Warner, a teacher at Wheeling Elementary School in Aurora, has been accused of masturbating in the shower while watching an 11-year-old boy shower in another shower at a YMCA.
Littleton Police say Warner was arrested about a week and a half ago after an alleged incident at the YMCA located at 11 W. Dry Creek Court. A personal trainer saw Warner and his behavior and called police.
Warner has worked at Wheeling Elementary School since 2001. He has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Patti Moon with Aurora Public Schools released this statement regarding Warner's arrest: Aurora Public Schools was shocked to learn of the charges brought against Michael Warner. We are deeply concerned by his arrest and want to emphasize that we do not tolerate inappropriate behavior by staff.
Warner is a teacher at Wheeling Elementary and started his employment at the school during the 2001-2002 school year. As is standard procedure, Warner has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Once we received permission from the 18th Judicial District, we notified parents of students at Wheeling Elementary. We sent a call home to parents and a letter is in the mail. We expect the letter to arrive at homes tomorrow.
When any employee is hired in Aurora Public Schools, we conduct a full background check, including a Colorado Bureau of Investigation review. The background check for this employee did not indicate any prior inappropriate behavior with students or criminal activity.
Aurora Public Schools is committed to providing every student with a safe and positive learning experience, every day.
Warner's attorney, Douglas T. Cohen, sent this statement: "The allegations against my client are baseless and false. We will be seeking full exoneration and redress through the courts.
Mr. Warner is a family man and has been a highly respected teacher in the same Aurora school for many years. Before this allegation, he had never been accused or convicted of any type of sexual offense. As already indicated by Aurora Public Schools, and confirmed by my office, Mr. Warner has no prior arrests or criminal convictions on his Colorado Bureau of Investigations report.
Mr. Warner was a 15-year member of this same YMCA with no prior issues. The alleged eyewitness reportedly had been employed at the gym as a personal trainer for just a few months.
Preliminary defense inquiry has determined that on the day of the alleged incident nothing inappropriate was reported to police.
Contrary to reports published online, my client was arrested weeks after the alleged incident based on a delayed report by this so-called personal trainer. My client was not arrested at the YMCA."
