Police are conducting a wide-reaching investigation to determine if a local elementary school teacher accused of sexual assault has victimized any other students during his 14-year career at Morgan Hill Unified School District, officers said Friday.
Morgan Hill Police arrested Paradise Valley Elementary School teacher John Loyd, 52 of Hollister, Oct. 2 on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female student in his classroom, police said.
The victim told school staff Thursday, Oct. 2 about inappropriate contact Loyd, a fifth grade teacher, made with her. The school staff member immediately told police about the allegations, according to MHPD Det. Mario Ramirez.
After an initial investigation, police arrested Loyd at his home in Hollister the night of Oct. 2, Ramirez said.
Officers determined Loyd sexually assaulted the victim more than once since Oct. 1 in his classroom, while school was in session at the LaCrosse Drive campus, police said. Authorities declined to specify the victim’s age and whether or not she was a regular student in his class.
Loyd was booked at Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14, lewd and lascivious acts upon a child as a caretaker, annoying or molesting a child and preventing or dissuading a witness, according to police.
On Friday afternoon, MHUSD Superintendent Steve Betando sent out an automated phone recording to parents of children at Paradise Valley Elementary to notify them of the allegation, according to MHUSD Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Fawn Myers.
MHUSD staff are also offering counseling support for school staff and the families of any other victims that may come forward, Myers added.
Police do not yet know if Loyd has victimized any other children, Ramirez said.
Loyd was hired by MHUSD in 2000 as a teacher at Nordstrom Elementary School, Myers added. In 2008 he was transferred to Paradise Valley Elementary in southwest Morgan Hill.
Counselors at MHUSD middle and high schools have also been notified to offer further support to their students, Myers added. Police are trying to determine not only if any other current Paradise Valley students have been assaulted by Loyd; they are also looking into whether or not older children who attended the two elementary schools where Loyd taught were assaulted by the suspect in previous years, Ramirez said.
“We are working with the schools to notify parents to talk to their children to see if he made any inappropriate contact with their children,” Ramirez said. Parents are encouraged to notify police before attempting a detailed interview with their child.
Loyd does not have any previous known criminal history, Ramirez said.
“He has no incidents in his personnel file” at MHUSD, Myers added.
Myers did not know where Loyd worked before he was hired by MHUSD.
Loyd remains in custody. He will likely make his first court appearance for an arraignment Tuesday, Oct. 7 at South County Courthouse, according to police.
Anyone with information about this case can contact MHPD Det. Mindy Zen at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.
