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Garland Elementary School teacher arrested for sexually abusing students

Posted at 8:24 AM, Oct 18, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-18 20:33:01-04

GARLAND, Utah — GARLAND, Utah — A Garland Elementary School teacher was terminated and arrested for allegedly sexually abusing two female students.

Patrick Green, 59, now faces four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony.

Arresting documents state a female student told officials that on "multiple occasions" Green would stand behind her and make her touch him inappropriately.

“During this investigation, multiple victims have disclosed inappropriate sexual touching and physical abuse,” said Chief Dustin Cordova with the Tremonton Garland Police Department.

The second female, a former student, told officials that Green touched her inappropriately "on multiple occasions."

Through the investigation, police said they had enough evidence, with accounts from two students, to arrest Green. He is being held at the Box Elder County Jail without bail.

In an email to parents from the Box Elder School District, school leaders said they received a report of employee misconduct by Green on September 9 and he was immediately placed on administrative leave.

"For the past five weeks, Mr. Green has remained on administrative leave while BESD cooperated with the investigation held by Tremonton/Garland Police Department," school district leaders said in the email. "As a result of the confirmation of improper conduct by the Police Department, BESD administration terminated employment of the teacher involved."

Parents picking their kids up from school on Tuesday said they were grateful the school acted when they did.

“As soon as they knew something was going on, they put him on administrative leave and so no more damage could be done,” said Angela Tomlinson, a parent of a student at the school.

In the absence of Green, a replacement teacher was hired and will stay with the school through the end of the academic year, the email explained.

“We’re aware that Mr. Green was a teacher with the Box Elder School District for approximately 24 years, and with Garland Elementary for 7 or 8 years,” said Detective Mortensen with the Tremonton Garland Police Department.

The email also said this was the “first report received by the school or district of sexual abuse involving Mr. Green.”

Police said since the investigation began, they have had more victims coming forward.

Parents said they want to use this as an opportunity to have an open dialogue with their kids.

“It definitely made me want to talk to my child about, 'Hey, you need to talk to me if something’s going on that makes you uncomfortable,'" Tomlinson said. "Just let them know that you don’t always have to say yes to authority. If something makes you uncomfortable, you can stand up for yourself."

“This has every asset we have thrown at it right now and we’re doing everything we can to protect our community,” Cordova said.

School district officials and investigators asked that if parents become aware of additional information in the case, they report it to the Tremonton Garland Police Department by calling 435-257-7577 or 435-257-3131.