Man, 18, accused of molesting girl, 6, at Naples school; more details released

Bond has been set at $500,000 for Austin Hunter, 18, who was arrested Friday on suspicion of sexual assault of a 6-year-old girl at a Naples school.

He faces felony charges of lewd and lascivious molestation on a person younger than 12, lewd and lascivious exhibition on a person younger than 16 and two counts of sexual battery of a minor. 

The girl said Hunter touched her inappropriately and exposed his genitals to her at Mason Classical Academy, according to a police report. Hunter was employed by After School Programs, a statewide child-care service that had a contract with the school. 

Judge Joseph G. Foster, who presided over Hunter's arraignment at the Collier County courthouse, gave him the following orders while the case is pending: no contact with the girl or any members of her family, and no unsupervised contact with children younger than 12.

He also asked that Hunter relinquish all his firearms.

According to a Naples Police Department news release, Hunter "solicited" the girl into a bathroom stall at Mason Classical Academy "for purposes of committing a lewd and lascivious act." 

Police opened the investigation Wednesday, and Hunter was arrested Friday.

An arrest report later released by the Police Department stated Hunter touched the girl inappropriately and exposed his genitals to her. 

Hunter initially denied any wrongdoing when questioned by authorities. He said he was only assisting the girl with washing her hands, the report states.

Security video showed Hunter directing the girl into the bathroom, where they remained for 11 minutes before two students entered the bathroom, the report says.

Those students were seen leaving and returning with a female counselor, who found the minor and Hunter locked in a bathroom stall, the report says. 

The minor told investigators that Hunter told her to follow him into the bathroom to wash her hands. He then touched her inappropriately and told her not to tell anyone, the report states. 

Hunter then reportedly asked her whether she wanted to see his private parts. She replied, "No," but he exposed his genitals, the report says. 

Investigators confiscated Hunter's phone. After being confronted, he kept notes on the phone about his interaction with the minor, the police report states.

In an email sent to parents, Mason principal David Hull said the school terminated its contract with After School Programs, a statewide child-care service, after "an incident occurred" Wednesday evening between a company employee and a student in their care.

The school notified Naples police and cooperated in the investigation, the email states.

Hull said in an email Friday night that the school is putting measures in place to provide counseling for anyone who needs it. The school is working with Collier County Public Schools to make that happen, he said.

Hull said the school building was used as a facility for the company to conduct its programs.

"MCA parents contracted with ASP after school hours, and neither the school itself nor any of its employees had anything to do with services provided by ASP," Hull said in a subsequent email.

Hull emphasized the employee accused in the assault was an employee of After School Programs and had no affiliation with the school.

"The safety and well being of our students has and always will be our top priority," Hull said in his first email Friday night. "To that end, we are proud of the swift and professional response of our local law enforcement throughout this situation. The MCA community looks forward to justice being served."

Previously:Sexual assault on minor reported at Mason Classical Academy in Naples

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