Maryland teacher charged with sexual abuse of girl under 10 years old

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - A teacher at Cooper Lane Elementary School in Landover Hills is in custody and facing multiple charges which include sexual abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography. 

The suspect is 44-year-old Mark Cobb of Bowie. 

The victim is a girl under the age of 10 years old who is the suspect’s former student.  

Detectives were notified of the allegations against Cobb on August 25, 2024. It was later learned the suspect was texting with the victim between June 2023 and August 2024. 

According to officials, during that time, Cobb asked for and received sexually inappropriate photos of the victim.

PG County teacher, Mark Cobb 

Cobb was arrested on Monday. After obtaining a search warrant, detectives recovered items of evidence from his home. He is charged with sexual abuse of a minor, nine counts of possession of child pornography and child pornography promoting- distribution with intent to possess.

In a letter sent to Cooper Lane Elementary School families, Principal Dr. Micah Pate called the news "deeply unsettling."

"I want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and any behavior that brings harm to a student will not be tolerated," the letter reads. "Our school is fully cooperating with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation, however, due to the nature of the investigation, there are limitations on the information we can share at this time."

Dr. Pate encouraged parents to be vigilant about their children's digital activities and online safety. 

"Monitoring online interactions and maintaining open communication with your child about their digital habits are critical steps in keeping them safe," he wrote. 

At this time, detectives have not discovered any additional victims at the school but urge anyone with information relevant to this case to call CVAA detectives at 301-772-4930.

Read the letter sent to parents below: