Buffalo, NEW YORK

School officials failed to inform law enforcement officials or the boy's parents until more than three four months after a teacher witnessed the abuse and reported it.

May 28, 2008 - John Colazzi, 60, a teacher's aide at Discovery School, Public School # 67, was indicted on charges of sexual abuse in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child for fondling a four year-old autistic boy in the bathroom in November 2007.

The boy is unable to testify about the incident, but a teacher who witnessed the abuse reported it to the principal shortly after the incident occurred. School officials failed to inform law enforcement officials or the boy's parents until more than three months later.

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR FIRED Joy Trotter, the human resources director who initially ruled the allegation "unfounded," was dismissed by Superintendent James A. Williams for mishandling the investigation.

CERTIFIED LETTER The teacher who witnessed the abuse sent a certified letter outlining her allegations to school superintendent James Williams. The superintendent admitted signing for the letter, but said he passed it on to a staff member without reading it.

The district attorneys office is preparing a report on where school officials "failed to respond properly" to the teacher's allegations. (Update: June 27, 2008 entry on Final report)

NOTABLE QUOTES
Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore said, "[The teacher] was also told not to contact the parents, that she'd be insubordinate if she contacted the parents. She was told that by the principal, according to the teacher."
----------------
Buffalo School Board Member Ralph Hernandez, who asked the State ethics Committee to examine why this case was not turned over to District Attorney Frank Clark until March, says the scary part is this case could have been swept under the rug. "We don't know where the verdict will go, but if they must have some evidence. I think we did the right thing here, and hopefully it will be behind us."
----------------
UPDATE June 27, 2008 entry on Final report)