12:17 p.m. Friday update: Ali Matar's bond was set at $75,000. He is still in the Benton County Jail. He was ordered not to have any contact with the girl or any unsupervised contact with any minors.
Original Story
BENTONVILLE -- A School District employee was arrested Wednesday in connection with the rape of a 5-year-old girl at R.E. Baker Elementary School.
Ali M. Matar Jr., 21, of Lowell, has worked for the district since October as an Adventure Club leader, according to Michael Poore, district superintendent. Matar's arrest came after a report to the child abuse hotline. Bentonville police were notified of the report Saturday, said Jon Simpson, police chief.
At A Glance (w/logo)
Letter To Parents
Michael Poore, superintendent of the Bentonville School District, released the following statement to parents on Thursday:
We are contacting you to inform you of very disturbing news related to an Adventure Club employee. We are notifying the entire R.E. Baker community, even if your child does not attend Adventure Club, so that you have an awareness of this notice. This employee was arrested yesterday and charged with a very egregious act involving a student during an Adventure Club afterschool program. We have no reason to believe your child has been involved in any way, but please be assured that the Bentonville Police and this school district take the safety of each and every child very seriously, and we will continue to investigate.
If you feel you have any information that needs to be reported, please do not hesitate to contact the Bentonville Police Department at (479) 271-3170. We do not plan on talking to your students about this matter in their classroom. If you need support for your child from our staff, please reach out to our R.E. Baker administrative staff or counselors.
Source: Bentonville School District
"The call came in on Saturday," Simpson said. "It was a parent who had some concerns."
Matar was taken to the Benton County Jail about 5 p.m. Wednesday. He was still held there Thursday with no bond set. His bond hearing likely will be held today, Simpson said. Prosecutors haven't filed formal charges against Matar.
Rape is a Class Y felony punishable by between 10 and 40 years in prison if convicted. In cases where a victim is 13 years old or younger there is a minimum sentence of 25 years.
The investigation didn't find evidence of additional victims, but Simpson encouraged anyone with additional information to contact the Police Department.
Adventure Club is run by the district's Childcare Enrichment Services department. It offers child care from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. during the school year for students in kindergarten through sixth grade at every elementary and middle school in the district.
Baker's Adventure Club program has a capacity of 50 students, but participation varies. The program continued as planned Thursday, Poore said.
It's expected every Adventure Club employee is always accompanied by another employee, Poore said.
"Obviously something went wrong," he said.
Matar is a 2011 graduate of Bentonville High School, according to his Facebook page. District officials declined to release details of his employment history.
During his time with the School District's Adventure Club, Matar has worked at Baker, Apple Glen, Willowbrook and Elm Tree elementary schools, Poore said.
The district told of the investigation Monday and placed him on paid leave. Police arranged an interview between the victim and a forensic interviewer Tuesday.
The district did the usual background checks required before hiring Matar as an Adventure Club employee. District officials will seek his termination at the School Board's next meeting Monday, Poore said.
Simpson declined to answer some questions related to the case -- including exactly where at the school the incident occurred -- saying he didn't want to jeopardize the investigation.
He said police don't know exactly when the incident occurred, but said they have "an approximate date," adding it was within the last 30 days.
"This is a very unfortunate thing," Simpson said. "We have an individual here who has betrayed the public trust to a great extent."
Baker staff members were notified of the news early Thursday. Poore wrote a letter to parents posted on the school's website Thursday morning notifying them of the arrest. A copy of the letter also was sent home with students Thursday.
"We have no reason to believe your child has been involved in any way, but please be assured that the Bentonville Police and this school district take the safety of each and every child very seriously, and we will continue to investigate," Poore wrote.
Baker is on Northwest Third Street near downtown Bentonville. It enrolls 557 students.
Matar worked for the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County from Aug. 16 to Oct. 16 last year, according to Jacob Hutson, the club's chief professional officer.
"The allegations have nothing to do whatsoever with the programs or activities of the Boys & Girls Club," according to Hutson. "The safety and well-being of the children we serve is the number one priority of the Boys & Girls Club. Our organization is committed to the highest standards of ethical behavior and integrity, and does not tolerate inappropriate or illegal activity on the part of any Club staff, volunteer or youth member. In addition, all employees and volunteers must undergo a thorough criminal background check."
NW News on 05/16/2014