Student accused of sexual assault at Athens Drive
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A 16-year-old student is accused of sexually assaulting another student inside Athens Drive High School.
Michael Armstrong is charged with two counts of second-degree sexual offense and one count of first degree kidnapping.
The accuser's mother said it happened December 14 in the school's locker room and would not have happened if a coach was more responsible.
ABC11 is not naming the victim or her mother.
She said Armstrong took her daughter's student ID and asked her to meet him in the school's gym.
When she showed up to get it back, she said a coach unlocked the locker room and walked away.
"He unlocked the locker room and left, and that's when the assault occurred. He pulled her in the locker room and assaulted her," said the victim's mother.
She told ABC11 she learned about the incident the following day from the school's principal when her daughter did not show up for class.
She said school surveillance video shows the coach unlocking the locker room door and leaving.
"He didn't come back and check on them. He didn't supervise it, so I think if he would have stayed it would have kept the whole incident from occurring," said the victim's mother.
She said her daughter requested to transfer schools after the incident and started receiving threats from other students.
"Not only is she afraid to go back to school, but everything about her life has changed. She's depressed. She's not her usual self. She's totally different," said the victim's mother. "Why shouldn't I be able to send my kids to school where the teachers are supposed to be there to help and then they don't give any help? I just feel like they dropped the ball."
In court Wednesday, Armstrong sat quietly as a judge ordered him to stay away from the other student and Athens Drive High School's campus.
Once out of the courtroom, Armstrong's family declined requests for a comment.
However, when ABC11 reached out to Armstrong's family Tuesday night, they denied the allegations but did not want to comment on camera.
"The only thing I can say at this point is that my client maintains his innocence and we intend to take this matter to trial," Armstrong's attorney Melody Edwardo said.
According to court documents, Armstrong is an AP Honor student who takes classes at NC State University.
Armstrong attended a STEM school but played basketball for Athens Drive. Wake County Schools officials say he no longer plays basketball at Athens.
The spokesperson said the school system is reviewing the matter. They also said no disciplinary action has been taken against any employee in regards to the incident at this time.
Meanwhile, Armstrong is due back in court on February 15th.
