Las Cruces teacher accused of molesting student

Months ago, the parents of a Las Cruces student got the news no parent wants to hear: their daughter could be a victim of sexual abuse by a teacher.

“At that point I was just blown away. I immediately wanted to know where he was and where she was. I knew he was still at the school when we found out,” the girl’s father told ABC-7.

The parents were devastated by the news.

Now they’re frustrated with what they call the lack of progress in the case.

Las Cruces Police confirm they have not arrested the teacher.

The parents can’t understand why.

“This is consistent with that kind of abuse. The counselor with the school says everything has been consistent. Everything she has told us has been consistent. She has never ever changed her story,” the father said.

The parents said the young girl is seeing a counselor and having a hard time coping. Her mother said knowing the teacher is still out there is giving the girl nightmares.

“You could just tell that she’s scared now that he knows. She just wakes up and says, ‘He knows I’ve told.’ In her dreams he’s telling her, ‘Why did you tell?’ He took her innocence away,” the girl’s mother said.

The school district confirms the teacher has been placed on administrative leave.

The girl’s parents said that’s not enough.

“I just know that this guy needs to be put away and it doesn’t look like they’re doing anything about it. That’s the way we feel,” the girl’s father said.

ABC-7 reached out to the teacher, but he did not want to comment.

A spokesman for the Las Cruces Police Department said investigations like this could take weeks or even months.