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Deputies: Hudson Preschool Teacher Fondled 4-Year-Old

Channel 8 photo by DAVE KRAUT

Sugar Plum First Class Preschool at 7800 New York Ave.

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By LISA A. DAVIS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 6, 2008

Brian Michael Lane

HUDSON - A 29-year-old preschool teacher was arrested by Pasco County deputies Thursday, accused of fondling a 4-year-old boy during nap time.

Brian Michael Lane of 7751 Deerfoot Lane, New Port Richey, is being held without bail at Land O' Lakes Jail on a charge of lewd and lascivious molestation.

Pasco detectives say that from August through December, while he was teaching at Sugar Plum First Class Preschool at 7800 New York Ave., Lane inappropriately touched the boy on several occasions when no other teachers were in the room.

The allegations came to light in May after school officials notified the boy's parents that their son was found naked and playing with another child under a makeshift tent, according to authorities.

School officials were concerned about the behavior and told the boy's parents he would have to attend counseling before being allowed to return to the school. During counseling, the boy disclosed the abuse, said sheriff's office spokesman Doug Tobin.

The counselor called the child abuse hot line, as required by law, and that sparked an investigation of the teacher, he said.

The boy told a Pasco detective that "Mr. Brian" had reached under a blanket and touched him. His clothes were not removed, a report states.

"Mr. Brian told me not to tell anyone," the boy told the detective.

After being read his legal rights during an interview Thursday at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office in New Port Richey, Lane said he touched the boy once for "less than a minute" and didn't know why he did it.

At least one marked and one unmarked cruiser sat outside the preschool, just west of U.S. 19, this morning.

Inside, children were in classrooms, some sitting around tables with teachers. Some infants rocked in swings. Other children played. Huge interior windows look into each room. Video cameras are in each classroom and on the playground, and monitors are in the director's office, but the feed isn't recorded, said owner Colleen Wolfe.

"I don't know what else we could've done," she said.

Lane had worked for the preschool for nearly six years and as a preschool teacher elsewhere for a couple years before that, but it wasn't clear where he had worked.

"Brian was a good teacher. I guess he just had a bad side to him we didn't know about," Wolfe said.

She declined to comment on the allegations.

Sheriff's officials say they think the 4-year-old was the only victim.

"Nobody else has come forward with abuse allegations," Tobin said.

Anyone else with abuse allegations can call the hot line at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873) .

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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