KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Court documents unsealed Friday in a criminal case against a Lawrence elementary school speech teacher revealed new details in an alleged sexual assault of at least one student.
Mark Gridley, 60, a former speech teacher at Prairie Park Elementary School in Lawrence, was charged earlier this month with one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child victim under the age of 14 and kidnapping in the commission of a crime, in connection to an incident at the school on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.
Lawrence police allege at least two students were victims of sexual assault by Gridley, though Gridley has only been charged by the Douglas County District Attorney’s office with one count. Police earlier this month were encouraging parents of students at the school to talk with their children to determine if additional victims were possible.
According to the affidavit filed by Lawrence police in support of the charges, the juvenile victim told detectives they were pulled out from class on Friday, Feb. 7, and taken to Gridley’s office for a speech therapy session. The student told detectives that Gridley restrained the student in their office.
A school resource officer reviewed surveillance video from the school outside of Gridley’s office during the time of the alleged assault and discovered that paper had been taped to the window of the door of Gridley’s office so that no one could see in or out of the office.
A search of Gridley’s office the day after the alleged assault revealed a large piece of white paper in the trash can. The paper appeared to be similar to the paper that had previously covered the window in the door to Gridley’s office.
As part of their investigation, police searched through trash in the school’s dumpster to locate any pieces of evidence.
The investigation has also included collecting DNA samples from Gridley. Those results are pending.
Gridley remains in custody at the Douglas County Jail on a $1.5 million bond.
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