A 21-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the rape of a 5-year-old girl at the man's place of employment, the Adventure Club at R.E. Baker Elementary School in Bentonville, according to a news release from the Bentonville Police Department.
Ali M. Matar Jr., of Lowell, was arrested after an investigation started with a report to the child abuse hotline, according to the news release.
The investigation didn't find evidence of additional victims, but anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Bentonville Police Department, the news release stated.
Matar was being held Thursday morning in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.
Matar has been employed with the district since October as an Adventure Club leader, said Michael Poore, Bentonville School District superintendent. Matar has been placed on paid leave.
"We're looking at what our options are in terms of taking personnel action," Poore said.
Matar is a 2011 graduate of Bentonville High School, according to his Facebook page.
Adventure Club is an after-school program the district runs in which students engage in a variety of activities. The maximum number of kids allowed in the R.E. Baker Adventure Club is 50, but actual enrollment varies, Poore said.
The Bentonville School District released the following statement to parents:
Dear R.E. Baker Parents,
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 notmattend 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.
Sincerely,
Michael Alan Poore
Superintendent