Dept. of Education Refrains From Comment After Revelation That Witnesses Reported C.A.H.S. Coach Rapes of Minor Boys Two Years Ago
V.I. Dept. of Education Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin two days after the V.I. District Court announced the arrest of former C.A.H.S. Coach Alfredo Bruce Smith for the molestation of multiple minor boys over the years of his employment at the department, issued an open letter condemning the abuse of children, stating that she "holds the safety and wellbeing of students as top priorities."
2021-09-10 13:07:13 - VI News Staff
On Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Baker filed documents in the District Court that stated C.A.H.S. administrators were made aware of the rape incidents — gruesome sexual violations that included Smith, 50, raping and using a penis pump on the minor victims — since 2019. Smith continued working at C.A.H.S. for more than a year after the school was made aware.
Ms. Berry-Benjamin, when asked by the Consortium whether the department knew of the rape incidents as mentioned in the court documents, refrained from commenting on the matter. Instead, she said an internal investigation was being conducted and that the department preferred "not to get ahead of ourselves."
"This is a very serious matter; the V.I. Dept. of Education takes this matter very seriously. The safety and wellbeing of our students is first priority, and we don't condone any of the allegations against Mr. Bruce. This is an ongoing investigation at the V.I. Dept. of Education. We too are doing our own investigation, so while this investigation is taking place, we prefer not to get ahead of ourselves and wait for the facts to present themselves accordingly. So just know that we are doing our own investigations as well based on everything that's presenting itself," Ms. Berry-Benjamin said during a press briefing at Government House Thursday, where the department addressed multiple in-person school closures because of Covid-related causes.
Ms. Berry-Benjamin said the department's legal team is leading the internal investigation along with superintendents and "other respective individuals."
The rape incidents included multiple male minors, many whose hopes of becoming athletes were dashed by Smith's sexual assaults as some abandoned track and field after being violated by Smith. Smith worked as a track and field coach and school monitor at C.A.H.S.
According to documents filed in District Court by U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security Special Agent Andrew Hayden, multiple minor boys contacted witnesses stating that Smith had not only performed sexual acts on them, he also used a machine on them.