Lawrence police are asking prosecutors to file more charges against the former Prairie Park Elementary School speech pathologist charged with sexually abusing a student, now alleging that he had eight victims over a span of two days.
Mark Gridley, 61, had worked at the school since August 2021. He was charged earlier this month with one count each of aggravated indecent liberties with a child younger than 14 and kidnapping, both severe felonies, involving one alleged victim, based on a report to police made Saturday, Feb. 8.
However, police received a report involving a second child on Feb. 10, and the following day announced that they believed there could be more alleged victims, including students who did not receive speech services.
In an update Thursday, police said they have submitted a new charging affidavit to the Douglas County district attorney’s office “requesting charges be filed against Mark Gridley to increase the total to 8 victims.”
All allegations “thus far” reportedly occurred from Feb. 6 to Feb. 7, involving children ages 6 to 11, according to LPD’s news release. They did not release more specific information about allegations.
“We do not anticipate releasing any additional information related to this case to minimize the already enormous impact on the lives of the children and their families,” the release continued. “We understand the community’s desire to know more detail about what occurred, and recognize the impact these events have on the entire community, but as the ongoing investigation continues, we must respect the importance of protecting the integrity of the investigation to ensure these children are allowed the opportunity to see justice sought.”
Families can contact the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County for resources, information and help, or call 785-830-7430 to make a report to LPD.
The CAC’s experts “have been instrumental in this investigation with their expertise in not only interviewing children but also in providing the needed support services for the victims and their families,” according to LPD’s release. “We have also worked very closely each step of the way with Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis and his staff.”
Interim Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent Jeanice Swift recently said in a message to school families that Gridley was immediately relieved of all duties after the district learned of the allegations. The Lawrence school board on Monday approved a formal resolution to terminate his contract.
Swift also said the district “has launched a comprehensive review of safety protocols across all school buildings, including ensuring clear sightlines into all physical spaces where children are served, so these spaces remain open and observable at all times.”
Police said the department has “dedicated every available resource to investigate this case, to include the entire investigations division, all of our School Resource Officers, and numerous officers from the patrol division,” according to the release. “We have also received significant support from other local and federal law enforcement agencies and USD 497.”
Publicly available court records did not yet indicate additional charges filed against Gridley as of Thursday afternoon. His initial case is next set for a status conference on March 26.
Defendants in criminal cases should be presumed not guilty unless they are convicted. Gridley remains in custody of the Douglas County jail, records show. A judge set his bond at $1.5 million.
Gridley first became a licensed speech language pathologist in Kansas with a temporary license in 2008 (given to people who have had all necessary training but not yet completed their examinations), followed by a full license in 2011. His licensure is currently set to expire this October, according to state records.
He previously worked at Logan Elementary in the Seaman school district, which includes part of northern Topeka, according to records from that district. He resigned effective at the end of July 2021, just before beginning employment with Lawrence Public Schools.
If our local journalism matters to you, please help us keep doing this work.
Don’t miss a beat … Click here to sign up for our email newsletters
Click here to learn more about our newsletters first
More coverage:
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence TimesLawrence police now say former Prairie Park Elementary speech pathologist had 8 alleged victims
Resources for survivors
If you have experienced sexual violence or trauma, please seek the help that’s right for you. There are many options available, and you don’t have to file a police report if you don’t want to.
Get 24/7 help in Lawrence: The Sexual Trauma & Abuse Care Center
- Call 785-843-8985 to reach an advocate, 24/7. (Consider saving that number in your phone in case you or someone you know ever needs it.)
- After an assault: What are my options? Check this page for detailed information about
- talking to an advocate,
- going to the hospital,
- making a police report,
- and/or talking to a counselor or therapist.
- On campus? Check this page for specific resources for the University of Kansas, Haskell Indian Nations University, Baker University, Ottawa University and more.
Resources on KU’s campus:
- Contact CARE (Campus Assistance, Resource, and Education) Services: KU students can make an appointment online at careservices.ku.edu, by email, care@ku.edu, or by calling 785-864-9255. It’s free, confidential and voluntary to talk with the CARE Coordinator. All genders welcome. Read more here.
- Find more KU campus resources at this link. Specific information about sexual assault exams can be found under the “Medical Care” tab.
Domestic violence situations: The Willow Domestic Violence Center
- Reach the Willow for help 24/7 at 785-843-3333.
- Find more resources on the Willow’s website at this link.
More resources
- The Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County offers support and resources for children and families affected by child abuse. See their website at cacdouglas.org, call them at 785-592-3160 or stop by their office at 1009 New Hampshire St. in Lawrence.
- StrongHearts Native Helpline: Call 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) for 24/7 safe, confidential and anonymous domestic and sexual violence support for Native Americans and Alaska Natives that is culturally appropriate.
- National hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text “START” to 88788, and/or visit thehotline.org to chat and learn more, 24/7.
This post is by the Lawrence Times news team.
If you have news tips, questions, comments, concerns, compliments or corrections for our team, please reach out and let us know what’s on your mind. Email us at Hello@LawrenceKSTimes.com (don’t forget the KS!), or find more contact info and a quick contact form at LawrenceKSTimes.com/contact.
Follow us so you won’t miss the local news that matters most to you:
Latest Lawrence news:
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
