SPRINGBORO, OH (CNN) — A former elementary school gym teacher is facing sexual abuse charges involving 28 first grade girls.
Once a popular gym teacher at Springboro’s Clearcreek Elementary School, John Austin Hopkins, 25, resigned from his coaching and teaching jobs in March. Authorities took him into custody Monday.
“Frankly, they loved him as a teacher because of the amount of affection he was showing them,” said Warren County prosecutor David Fornshell. “One of the little girls was convinced, he had convinced her that they were going to be married when she got older.”
Fornshell said the kids didn’t realize Hopkins’ affection was inappropriate and criminal.
“He is placing many of the girls on his lap, straddling him in what I would describe as a sexual manner,” Fornshell said.
More than 100 physical interactions between Hopkins and 88 first grade girls were caught on surveillance cameras inside the gymnasium. Of those, a grand jury found Hopkins had alleged inappropriate contact with 28 of the girls on 36 different occasions.
“It’s just a horrible situation,” said parent Sarah Verkamp, whose son was in Hopkins’ class. “My heart really breaks for those kids and the parents.”
Although her son wasn’t a victim, Verkamp said she had to have tough conversations with her child at an early age.
“We asked them over and over throughout a couple of weeks in different settings just to make sure he wasn’t, nothing happened to him,” she said.
The crimes allegedly took place between December 2018 and March 2019.
“This doesn’t just start on December 1,” said Angela Wallace, an attorney representing 28 of the families.
Wallace believes had the district’s surveillance system not been on a 90-day loop, more victims would be identified.
“It’s my belief this was going on last year while he was a substitute teacher as well,” she said.