Durham mom speaks out against teacher charged with sex crimes

DURHAM, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A Wake County teacher is charged with child sex offenses involving a student. Police say the crimes happened in Durham and Raleigh.

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Now, the mother of one of the alleged victims is coming forward exclusively to ABC11.

She is worried that there may be other victims.

Her revelation comes as the suspect is facing additional child sex charges.

"Who can trust this man?" she asked.

For the first time, this Durham mom is speaking out about her daughter's alleged sexual assault. Police say it's by her former music teacher at Neal Middle School, Troy Pickens.

"I just wish I could have helped her. She was just going through her pain by herself," her mom said.

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ABC11 is not naming the mother to protect her daughter.

The alleged incident happened in 2015.

The mother said she thought Pickens was picking up her daughter from school and then going straight to the DPAC for an after-school event.

But investigators said Pickens took the 14-year-old to his home first - where she was sexually assaulted.

In 2015, Pickens resigned from Neal Middle School and started a new teaching job that summer at Durant Middle School in Wake County.

Late last year, the mother said, her daughter came forward about the attack. And that's when she went to authorities.

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Durham Police arrested Pickens on child sex charges.

"I believe he has done this to somebody else's child," the victim's mother told ABC11.

Last month, Pickens was arrested and charged with rape by Raleigh Police.

The alleged victim, in that case, is just 11 years old.

That incident took place between August 1 and September 30 of 2015, according to a Raleigh police report.

The mother who sat down with ABC11 said her 14-year-old daughter is aware of another victim who won't come forward.

Her message to parents is to ask questions. And she had this message to children.

"Just make sure you tell," she urged. "Don't hide it. Don't hold it in."

This mother said her daughter goes through periods of depression. But she is getting help.

Meanwhile, Pickens is scheduled to appear in court in October.