Mark Gridley, the former speech pathologist at Prairie Park Elementary School in Lawrence who was charged with sex crimes against students, has died at age 62.
Gridley was “found beyond life-saving measures in the home’s garage,” where officers were dispatched just before 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Lawrence police. “The investigation is ongoing, but there does not appear to be signs of foul play. An official cause of death will be determined by the coroner.”
Gridley, who had been working at Prairie Park Elementary since 2021, was charged in 2025 with seven counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, each with an alternative charge of battery, and seven counts of kidnapping.
His case had been set for a three-week jury trial beginning in January.
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During his preliminary hearing in October 2025, prosecutors shared recordings of interviews between the Children’s Advocacy Center and seven girls who were all in second through fifth grades at the school at the time of the alleged abuse.
Gridley was released from the Douglas County jail on Aug. 14, 2025 on a $750,000 surety bond. He had several bond conditions in place, including that he was subject to pretrial monitoring through a GPS ankle monitor. He was not to have contact with any children, including the alleged victims or their families. He was to have no firearms of any kind, and he was not to use drugs or alcohol.
A reporter observed a few police officers and death investigators at Gridley’s home Thursday morning, including Detective Meghan Bardwell, who was the lead investigator for the Prairie Park allegations.
Find more information about the case in the articles linked below.
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Courtney Lane/Lawrence Times
Wulfe Wulfemeyer/Lawrence Times
