EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — A Utah County teacher has fled the country after being charged with the rape of two teen students.
"We always tell our children: 'See something, say something,' and it sounds so cliched,” said Nicole Jones. “She says something and she got disciplined for it."
Jones’ daughter goes to Rockwell Charter High School in Eagle Mountain. Her mom said she reported one of her teachers for misconduct. That was in October.
"They decided they wanted to suspend her, to have online schooling only because they felt that it was rumors and rumors should not be spread,” explained Jones. She said her daughter had to be in online school for three months.
They got law enforcement involved and on December 15, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into the teacher, 39-year-old Ricardo Prins.
Jones reached out to FOX 13 News on Tuesday, because Prins is facing 31 charges relating to the sexual abuse of two students, one as young as 15 years old.
"It’s a very, extremely unfortunate situation,” said Sgt. Ray Ormond with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. "It’s a situation that appears that an individual took indecent liberties and used that special position of trust that he was in as a teacher to take advantage of two juvenile females."
The Utah County Sheriff's Office said they believe the suspect has fled to Brazil and doesn’t have the right paperwork to come back into the U.S. legally, but they are working with the Utah County Attorney’s Office on a warrant for his arrest.
FOX 13 reached out to Rockwell Charter School and they wouldn’t comment on the situation.
"Believe your kids. You should be in their corner at all times,” emphasized Jones.
Outside the school, families are trying to process the news.
"They're in a position to protect our children, to keep them safe. Moms, dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles send their children to school, thinking they're going to be safe,” said Staci Sokol, whose grandchild went to Rockwell Charter School.
Parents are demanding answers from the school about how this happened.
"I hope that students continue to come forward and say something, whether it's victims at this school or another school or another state, I don’t care. Come forward, say something,” added Jones.
