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According to Richmond Times-Dispatch, 30-year-old Tara Drooker was arrested for an inappropriate relationship with an underage student during her employment as a teacher and volleyball coach at Richmond Christian School located at 6511 Belmont Rd, Chesterfield, VA 23832.
On Friday, August 13, 2021, police arrested Drooker following allegations that she sexually abused a minor student that was under her custodial care during 2017. The abuse was said to have taken place from March 1 to May 31, 2017, but allegations of an inappropriate relationship are said to have lasted for several years. Reports indicated that the sexual abuse occurred on the campus as well as off-campus.
Drooker was arrested and was being held at Riverside Regional Jail. No reports of her being released on bond were noted. She has been charged with four counts of taking indecent liberties with a child while in her custodial care.
Drooker left Richmond Christian School in 2018 to take a position as a volleyball coach at Cosby High School also located in Chesterfield.
This arrest followed another coach being arrested the same day following a similar accusation of sexual abuse. 21-year-old Elisabeth “Rose” Bredemeier, is facing a felony charge of taking indecent liberties with a child through her role as a coach as well as a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Police reported that Bredemeier gave details of the abuse conducted by Drooker following her arrest. She has since been released on bail.
Attorney contributor Kevin Biniazan, an experienced sexual assault attorney, has represented numerous victims of sexual abuse in civil lawsuits. Kevin has provided some knowledge on the rights of victims sexually abused by a coach.
"Schools are legally obligated to maintain a safe environment while protecting their students and staff. However, sometimes sexual predators are able to acquire positions within schools. They use their position of trust and power to exploit students sexually. Schools and school officials should do all they can to avoid this by mandating background checks for all staff, implementing a proper reporting system, and even installing surveillance cameras on the property. If a crime occurs on school property or under the hands of the staff, the schools can be held accountable."
"Reporting policies are used to both prevent and stop any abuse from happening. If sexual abuse occurs on the property or by the staff, and the school fails to report the crime to social services or the police, the school can be deemed liable in a civil lawsuit. Victims and their families should question if all reporting procedures were implemented properly following a crime. If they were not, the school could be considered negligent. In such cases, victims should hire an experienced sexual assault attorney to help them understand their legal options. A civil lawsuit may allow them to receive financial compensation."
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