Peoria, Arizona - Sun Valley Elementary School Teacher Ricky Ordway Charged with Sexually Abusing 3 Students

EDIT (June 13, 2019) – Four of the five charges against Ricky Ordway have been dropped after 3 of the alleged victims admitted to lying about the abuse.

Sun Valley Elementary Teacher Ricky Ordway Accused of Sexually Abusing 3 Students

A teacher at Sun Valley Elementary School in Peoria has been arrested on allegations that he inappropriately touched three 5th-graders. Ricky Ordway is charged with five counts of child molestation and one count of sexual abuse.

On May 7, Sun Valley’s principal notified the police about the suspected abuse. This led to an investigation, in which police discovered that Ordway may have abused three 5th-grade female students at Sun Valley.

An 11-year-old victim told police that in February, Ordway touched her inappropriately during class. A second victim said that beginning in September 2018, Ordway would call her up to his desk and touch her inappropriately. A third victim told investigators that Ordway had reached inside of her bra several times.

Ordway was arrested on May 14 at the Peoria Police Unified School District Office. He has worked for the school district since August 2016 and was placed on paid administrative leave on May 8.

Additional charges could be filed as this investigation is ongoing.

Legal Options For School Sex Abuse Victims & Their Families

Attorney Kevin Biniazin, a former sex crimes prosecutor, specializes in helping survivors of sexual abuse find justice in civil courts. Here are a few of his general thoughts regarding the legal options available to families who have been affected by sexual abuse involving school employees:

Our schools have a responsibility to prioritize the safety of their students just as much as the quality of their education. As part of this responsibility, it’s crucial to make sure that no sexual predators are permitted to work in schools. Administrators can help protect students from predators by thoroughly screening new applicants, investigating suspicious behavior by employees, and reporting any suspected abuse to authorities immediately.

But sadly, sexual abuse of students by school employees is a nationwide crisis. In some of these cases, the abuse could have been prevented or stopped if not for the negligence of the school. In these types of cases, the victims and their families could have the right to file a lawsuit.

If you or your child is a survivor of school sexual abuse, our attorneys want to help your family find justice. You can learn more about your legal options by speaking with one of our experienced sex abuse survivors lawyers in a free consultation.

Sources

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/peoria-breaking/2019/05/14/peoria-teacher-accused-molesting-5th-grade-girls-sun-valley-elementary-school/3673072002/

https://www.kgun9.com/news/state/police-teacher-inappropriately-touched-three-5th-grade-students