PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — UPDATE: Wednesday, AppleTree & Gilden Woods Early Care and Preschool released a statement regarding the arrest of Aaron Joe Bryant in connection to a criminal sexual conduct case. The statement clarifies details surrounding the incident.
That statement can be read in full below:
“The safety of the children in our care is our utmost priority. That is why when we learned of the incident involving Mr. Bryant, he was immediately put on administration leave on June 18, 2020 and terminated on July 17, 2020 upon completion of the initial investigation. He had no further contact with any children in our facilities.
We have worked closely with local and state authorities throughout their investigation. Additionally, we have reviewed our hiring and internal safety and operational protocols and, while they meet the highest standards in the industry, all team members are being trained in a rigorous new safety and reporting initiative.
We treat all the children in our care as if they are our own, so we were as shocked and distraught by this incident as anyone. We are deeply sorry for what the family involved has gone through. We are in communication with our team members and families about this issue and will provide access to resources, such as counseling, for those who need additional support.”
Additionally, officials are clarifying that all of AppleTree & Gilden Woods classrooms are equipped with cameras that provide a live feed only to parents who have children enrolled at these facilities, and that the system is password protected. The company uses it as an additional safety feature in their schools, according to officials.
Those feeds are not viewable to the public and are not recorded, and parents are only able to view the room where their child is enrolled.
— Original Story —
Monday, officials with the Portage Department of Public Safety announced that a man has been arraigned in a child Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) case.
Police say 19-year-old Aaron Joe Bryant of Hartford was arraigned on one count of Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree with a Child Under the Age 13.
Portage detectives and Van Buren County deputies arrested Bryant on October 29 at his Hartford residence.
Police were notified of the case by Children’s Protective after they received a report from the parents of a child who attends Gilden Woods Early Care and Preschool in Portage.
The report said that while viewing a live stream video, Bryant was seen sexually assaulting their child. The parent then reported the incident to Children’s Protective Services.
Bryant began working for Gilden Woods in the fall of 2019. Gilden Woods management staff has been working closely with police and state agencies since the investigation began, and have terminated Bryant’s employment.
Police, Gilden Woods, and state agencies continue to investigate to determine if there are additional victims.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Portage Department of Public Safety at 269-329-4567 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.
Reports can also be submitted online at www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.
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