GLENARDEN, Md. - A school volunteer in Prince George's County has been accused of forcing at least ten kids to perform sex acts while he videotaped them. On Tuesday, FOX 5 spoke with one of the families allegedly victimized by the suspect.
Police said 22-year-old Deonte Carraway made about 40 videos featuring children ranging from 9 to 13 years old. Some of them are students at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Glenarden. Carraway was a volunteer at the school.
Police said he also made videos at the Glenarden Municipal Center and the Theresa Banks Memorial Aquatic Center.
Police began investigating Carraway after a relative found a nude photo sent through the Kik messaging app on a victim's phone.
The victim we spoke with told us that Carraway would play sports with kids at a local playground at the Glenarden apartment complex their family lives at.
One neighbor even said she hardly saw Carraway spend time with people his age, but instead was only around kids.
The victim's family moved to the Glenarden Woods Apartments back in 2014. A few weeks later, a neighbor came calling.
"He came up to the patio and said that my son wanted to join his choir - 'Is it okay?' - So he gave me a permission slip and I was like, 'Okay,'" said the victim's mother. "I normally don't trust people with my children and he seemed like an okay guy. I always see him with the kids. He is like a big brother."
Then she said he asked her to become a parent liaison to help him with the youth choir. They practiced at the municipal center up the street every Friday.
We asked her if Carraway was ever alone with the children.
"Yes," she responded. "Sometimes if I wasn't feeling well, he would be at choir practice with the children by himself."
"At the end of choir, we would play hide and go seek," the male victim said.
He told us that is when the inappropriate behavior would happen. He also said Carraway told him not to tell his parents.
"I want to ask him why, first of all, and why did you betray me?" said the victim's mother.
She also added, "If there are any other children, please notify somebody. You will be better off later on. And get that counseling."
The victim was so afraid that he did not tell his parents initially. But now, as the family works to put the pieces of their lives back together and start the healing process, they wanted to share their story so other victims will have the strength to come forward too.
As for the school, officials said they would have counselors available to the children. But the victim's mother said she has not yet heard from them.