By msnbc.com staff and news services LOS ANGELES -- There was never any outward indication that anything was wrong in Mark Berndt's classroom at Miramonte Elementary School in south Los Angeles. School officials and law enforcement authorities say they never received any complaints about the third-grade teacher, who is accused of blindfolding students, putting tape on their mouths and taking photos of them with live cockroaches or a spoon full of semen. The photographs, brought to the attention of authorities last January by a film processor, eventually led to Berndt's arrest on Monday on charges that he committed lewd acts on 23 boys and girls, ages 6 to 10, between 2008 and 2010.
The 61-year-old made his first court appearance on Wednesday. His bail was raised to $23 million from $2.3 million. His arraignment was scheduled for Feb. 21. "If it wasn't for the film processor, this could still be continuing today," sheriff's Lt. Carlos Marquez told the Associated Press.
Damian Dovarganes / AP
Students are escorted to a waiting bus as they leave Miramonte Elementary school after classes Tuesday.
Five more children have contacted sheriff's investigators since Berndt's arrest, which could lead to additional charges, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy told msnbc.com on Tuesday that there was nothing in Berndt’s 30-year record with the school district to indicate a problem. “Not so much as a single complaint,” he said.
"I am disgusted beyond belief," Deasy said. "I'm a dad as well as a superintendent and it's horrifying." Some parents picking up their students at the school on Tuesday complained that school officials should have notified them when the photos were discovered last year. Berndt was fired immediately after the investigation began, and placed under surveillance, but parents didn't learn why until this week. "My concern is why, if the principal knew this in advance, why didn't he inform us?" Gloria Polanco, the mother of a second- and a third-grader, said to the Associated Press. "How long has he been doing this?" Deborah Harmon, whose 7-year-old granddaughter goes to the elementary, was also upset about the length of time it took school administrators to notify parents of the allegations.
"It’s a sense of violation and betrayal because you think that your children are safe when you send them to school but they’re not safe," Harmon told NBCLosAngeles.com. The photographs uncovered reveal disturbing images. Some allegedly show Berndt with his arm around the children or with his hand over their mouths, according to a statement by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In addition, authorities say the images depict girls with a blue plastic spoon filled with a substance, later determined to be semen. There were also photos of children with large, live Madagascar-type cockroaches on their faces and mouths.
Early in the investigation, Special Victims Bureau detectives say they recovered a blue plastic spoon and an empty container from the trash in Bernd't classroom. The recovered items tested positive for semen, authorities said, and the suspect's DNA matched the DNA profile found on the spoon and container. "We ended up finding out through DNA that the white substance was bodily fluids from our suspect," Marquez told NBCLosAngeles.com. A search warrant served by detectives on Berndt's home also led to the discovery of more than 100 similar photographs depicting children, authorities aid. Also found was a DVD depicting adult sexual "bondage" activity. The adults in that DVD are not identified, according to detectives. Investigators are still working to identify 10 of the child victims in the 390 photos uncovered. Authorities are recommending the children be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, the Associated Press reported. [此贴子已经被作者于2012/2/1 18:39:14编辑过]
新闻连接：
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/01/10289454-disgusted-beyond-belief-parents-shaken-by-ex-calif-teachers-molestation-charges
By msnbc.com staff and news services
LOS ANGELES -- There was never any outward indication that anything was wrong in Mark Berndt's classroom at Miramonte Elementary School in south Los Angeles. School officials and law enforcement authorities say they never received any complaints about the third-grade teacher, who is accused of blindfolding students, putting tape on their mouths and taking photos of them with live cockroaches or a spoon full of semen.
The photographs, brought to the attention of authorities last January by a film processor, eventually led to Berndt's arrest on Monday on charges that he committed lewd acts on 23 boys and girls, ages 6 to 10, between 2008 and 2010.
The 61-year-old made his first court appearance on Wednesday. His bail was raised to $23 million from $2.3 million. His arraignment was scheduled for Feb. 21.
"If it wasn't for the film processor, this could still be continuing today," sheriff's Lt. Carlos Marquez told the Associated Press.
Damian Dovarganes / AP
Students are escorted to a waiting bus as they leave Miramonte Elementary school after classes Tuesday.
Five more children have contacted sheriff's investigators since Berndt's arrest, which could lead to additional charges, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy told msnbc.com on Tuesday that there was nothing in Berndt’s 30-year record with the school district to indicate a problem. “Not so much as a single complaint,” he said.
"I am disgusted beyond belief," Deasy said. "I'm a dad as well as a superintendent and it's horrifying."
Some parents picking up their students at the school on Tuesday complained that school officials should have notified them when the photos were discovered last year. Berndt was fired immediately after the investigation began, and placed under surveillance, but parents didn't learn why until this week.
"My concern is why, if the principal knew this in advance, why didn't he inform us?" Gloria Polanco, the mother of a second- and a third-grader, said to the Associated Press. "How long has he been doing this?"
Deborah Harmon, whose 7-year-old granddaughter goes to the elementary, was also upset about the length of time it took school administrators to notify parents of the allegations.
"It’s a sense of violation and betrayal because you think that your children are safe when you send them to school but they’re not safe," Harmon told NBCLosAngeles.com.
The photographs uncovered reveal disturbing images. Some allegedly show Berndt with his arm around the children or with his hand over their mouths, according to a statement by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In addition, authorities say the images depict girls with a blue plastic spoon filled with a substance, later determined to be semen. There were also photos of children with large, live Madagascar-type cockroaches on their faces and mouths.
Early in the investigation, Special Victims Bureau detectives say they recovered a blue plastic spoon and an empty container from the trash in Bernd't classroom. The recovered items tested positive for semen, authorities said, and the suspect's DNA matched the DNA profile found on the spoon and container.
"We ended up finding out through DNA that the white substance was bodily fluids from our suspect," Marquez told NBCLosAngeles.com.
A search warrant served by detectives on Berndt's home also led to the discovery of more than 100 similar photographs depicting children, authorities aid. Also found was a DVD depicting adult sexual "bondage" activity. The adults in that DVD are not identified, according to detectives.
Investigators are still working to identify 10 of the child victims in the 390 photos uncovered.
Authorities are recommending the children be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, the Associated Press reported.
[此贴子已经被作者于2012/2/1 18:39:14编辑过]
这禽兽应该枪毙
★ Sent from iPhone App: i-Reader Huaren Lite 7.38
畜牲
★ Sent from iPhone App: i-Reader Huaren Lite 7.38
这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
这禽兽应该枪毙
这禽兽应该枪毙
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
教育孩子的时候还要适当跟他们说说怎么保护自己，啥是性侵犯，受到性侵犯以后应该怎么办。
天啊！这个禽兽！枪毙便宜他了都，应该凌迟处死！
五马分尸，或者微波大脑也行……
不得好死！！！！
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
老师根本就没有可能和小孩单独在一起。我想了半天都想不出来老师去什么地方干这个， 我女儿小学老师没有办公室。学生不允许出学校大楼。小学老师基本上全是女的。
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
天哪，这个学校就在我们附近
啊。
这禽兽应该枪毙
我曾经和一个妈妈聊天，她说美国这边的学校教育很让人头疼。她儿子的老师经常告诉他们，有事情不要告诉父母，学校和老师才是最值得信任的人。从学校的角度，可能是防止家庭暴力等等，可是这样的教育让孩子从小就不信任父母，究竟什么居心啊？？？
太可怕了，而且太恶心了！！！
我曾经和一个妈妈聊天，她说美国这边的学校教育很让人头疼。她儿子的老师经常告诉他们，有事情不要告诉父母，学校和老师才是最值得信任的人。从学校的角度，可能是防止家庭暴力等等，可是这样的教育让孩子从小就不信任父母，究竟什么居心啊？？？
我觉得可能要看说话的背景，也许老师是说，如果你不想告诉父母，你可以告诉老师这类的话。
如果老师真的说了，“有事情不要告诉父母”，这是可以投诉的。
天啊！这个禽兽！枪毙便宜他了都，应该凌迟处死！
这禽兽应该枪毙
天啊！这个禽兽！枪毙便宜他了都，应该凌迟处死！
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。
这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
★ Sent from iPhone App: i-Reader Huaren Lite 7.39
好多学校这方面的教育从一上小学就开始了。有些地方不可以碰。
老师根本就没有可能和小孩单独在一起。我想了半天都想不出来老师去什么地方干这个， 我女儿小学老师没有办公室。学生不允许出学校大楼。小学老师基本上全是女的。
这禽兽应该枪毙
这禽兽应该枪毙
天啊！这个禽兽！枪毙便宜他了都，应该凌迟处死！
畜牲
这禽兽应该枪毙
这禽兽应该枪毙
畜牲
听说这位禽兽教师可以受工会的保护，在学区开除他之前主动辞职，这样便可以享受到他应该得到的退休养老金等福利。
什么？？还有天理吗？
这禽兽应该枪毙
畜牲
太可怕了，而且太恶心了！！！
我曾经和一个妈妈聊天，她说美国这边的学校教育很让人头疼。她儿子的老师经常告诉他们，有事情不要告诉父母，学校和老师才是最值得信任的人。从学校的角度，可能是防止家庭暴力等等，可是这样的教育让孩子从小就不信任父母，究竟什么居心啊？？？
这个言论，可不以告？父母不可信就算成立，那学校老师可信凭那点成立？
这禽兽应该枪毙
天啊！这个禽兽！枪毙便宜他了都，应该凌迟处死！
这禽兽应该枪毙
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
★ Sent from iPhone App: i-Reader Huaren Lite 7.39
天啊！这个禽兽！枪毙便宜他了都，应该凌迟处死！
太可怕了，要从小教育孩子保护自己
这种人应该判个无期徒刑，然后丢到最暴力的监狱，被其他囚徒折磨的生不如死！
毙个100次都不够!
这种人应该判个无期徒刑，然后丢到最暴力的监狱，被其他囚徒折磨的生不如死！
RE
这禽兽应该枪毙
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。
这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
貌似美国监狱对这些人是非常残忍的...希望他不得好死。
6-10岁的孩子，都有思维了，为什么不告诉爸妈？！我很震惊，我不是要谴责这些孩子，我在想这个有没有办法避免？怎样能让孩子遇到奇怪的事情第一时间告诉父母？还是这么巧这23个孩子的父母全都教育方式不好？
re,这也是我第一个思考的问题，怎么样孩子遇到这种事情第一时间告诉父母？这种禽兽老师应该被其他囚徒狠狠折磨。
可怜那些孩子，居然没人告诉自己爸妈。
这个禽兽不得好死。进了监狱让人折磨死他。
6-10岁的孩子，都有思维了，为什么不告诉爸妈？！我很震惊，我不是要谴责这些孩子，我在想这个有没有办法避免？怎样能让孩子遇到奇怪的事情第一时间告诉父母？还是这么巧这23个孩子的父母全都教育方式不好？
同奇怪