A 37-year-old coach in Georgia has been accused of molesting a child under 10-years-old on April 7, 2021.
The Flowery Branch Police Department placed Cherokee Bluff High School soccer coach Calvin Cook under arrest Friday in connection with the alleged sexual assault, Fox News reported Sunday.
“He is accused of molesting the girl when she was spending the night at his family’s home,” the outlet said.
Law enforcement was alerted to the alleged incident on April 24, and officials notified leadership of the Hall County School System before the investigation began.
Officials eventually placed the man on leave with pay, according to Now Habersham.
Authorities obtained an arrest warrant Tuesday for the man on one count of child molestation, but he turned himself in on Friday.
The suspect is accused of pulling the child’s pants down and touching her genital and thigh area during the incident.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network’s (RAINN) website, “Sexual assault can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: it’s never the victim’s fault.”
The organization defines the act as “sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim,” noting that one form of it is “fondling or unwanted sexual touching.”
Cook is maintaining his innocence, according to his lawyer, Graham McKinnon, who said the man and his loved ones were in shock over the allegations.
“Throughout Calvin’s life and teaching career, his character and reputation have been outstanding and beyond reproach, and we just ask the community to please withhold judgment at this stage in the process,” he said.
Cook works as the girls’ head soccer coach for the high school and is also a physical education instructor for students at Cherokee Bluff Middle School.
“Before joining Hall County Schools, Cook was a teacher and coach in Gwinnett County at Dacula High School. He also worked as Athletic Director at Cornerstone Schools of Cumming,” the Now Habersham report said.
The man was booked into the Hall County Detention Center and the outlet noted he is still on paid administrative leave.
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