EX-RALEIGH TEACHER ACCUSED OF CHILD SEX CRIMES AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
October 16, 2019
CBS 17
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – A former teacher has been arrested and charged with child sex crimes that occurred at a Raleigh elementary school, police said.
Peter Cunningham Moody, of Knightdale faces four counts of felony indecent liberties with a child following incidents at Beaver Dam Elementary School, Raleigh police said.
The offenses occurred between August 2018 and June 2019, court records show. The charges involve two victims.
Moody was hired by Wake County Schools in August 2017. He resigned Aug. 13, 2019, the district confirmed.
Beaver Dam Principal Marion Evans sent the following letter to parents:
Because we want to keep you informed, I want to share information about an incident involving one of our former teachers.
Yesterday, the district was notified by the Raleigh Police Department that a former fifth-grade teacher at our school, Peter Moody, had been arrested on four counts of indecent liberties with a child in connection with incidents that occurred at Beaverdam Elementary School.
I can share with you that in August the district learned of the allegations of inappropriate conduct. The district immediately contacted the Raleigh Police Department and WCPSS Security. An investigation by WCPSS Human Resources began immediately, and Mr. Moody resigned on August 13, before students returned for the 2019-20 school year.
This is disheartening news for the Beaverdam community. I understand that students and families will experience a wide range of emotions. The trust you place in your teachers is sacred, and we do not and will not tolerate any violation of that trust.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. While I obviously have legal limits on what I can say about any employee who is under criminal investigation, I will share any information that I am allowed.
Moody was arrested at his Knightdale home Tuesday and appeared before a magistrate early Wednesday.
He initially received a $200,000 bond but it was reduced to $150,000 during his first court appearance Wednesday.
Moody’s attorney said his client denies the allegations against him and that Moody lost his job due to an unrelated incident.
The attorney said Moody has no previous criminal history and currently lives with his girlfriend and a child less than a year old.
A prosecutor with the Wake County District Attorney’s Office said the charges stem from incidents involving two separate fifth grade students.
Several teachers reported it was uncharacteristic that Moody would come and take children out of elective classes, like music and art, and tell them he needed to grade papers, the prosecutor said.
Both students were interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center where they both indicated Moody would say sexually inappropriate things to them.
A Peter Cunningham Moody is listed as becoming a licensed educator in North Carolina in 2015.
CBS 17 will update this story as it develops.
Message from Executive Director Laura A. Ahearn: Please visit our website at www.crimevictimscenter.org for news, information and resources in your community.
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