Despite the gravity of the allegations, the new director of La Siria Elementary School in the municipality of Quisqueya in San Pedro de Macoris, Rosalía Puentes, claimed on 3 December 2024 that life at the school continues “as if nothing happened,” Listin Diario reports.
The school is at the center of a disturbing case involving a 13-year-old student who allegedly was raped by two of her teachers. One is under arrest, the other remains at large.
Puentes confirmed that the student has not returned to school since the incident came to light, but assured that the school is making efforts to keep her up-to-date with her studies. However, due to the ongoing legal proceedings, the student’s family has been inconsistent in their availability for home tutoring sessions.
The director explained that once the student is ready to return after the Christmas break, the school will assign specialized teachers to help her catch up on missed material.
Meanwhile, the student’s aunt, Evelin, told Listin Diario reporter that her niece is not currently receiving any formal education due to the trauma she has experienced. Evelin made these comments outside the local courthouse before another postponement of the hearing for Fernando Altagracia Peña Eusebio, one of the accused teachers. The other is his cousin, Alejandro Roberto Bello, who is at large.
Following the allegations, the school has replaced all male teachers except for the physical education instructor. Puentes emphasized that this decision was made to address any concerns or complaints from students or parents.
Fernando Altagracia Peña Eusebio, the child’s English and French teacher who has been accused of sexually assaulting the student, is set to appear on court on 4 December for a ruling on the bail request filed by the prosecution. This is the second postponement of the hearing, primarily due to a strike by prosecutors demanding better working conditions.
In addition to Peña Eusebio, authorities have issued an arrest warrant for his cousin and fellow teacher, Alejandro Roberto Bello Matos, who is accused of raping the student on multiple occasions.
The legal charges against the two teachers include sexual assault, indecent assault, and child abuse.
The Ministry of Education ordered the replacement of all male teachers at the school, with the exception of the physical education teacher. The director was also replaced at the small public school. Diario Libre reports that the rapes were publicly known after the child confessed to her mother on 16 November 2024. The child’s father then placed a claim with the Gender Violence Unit of the Attorney General in San Pedro de Macoris.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
4 December 2024