Registered sex offender accused of sexually assaulting student at Phoenix elementary school

AZ sex offender accused of assault at school

A convicted sex offender in Arizona with a lengthy criminal history is accused of making his way onto an elementary school in the Phoenix area and sexually assaulting a girl. FOX 10's Kenzie Beach has more.

PHOENIX - A man who allegedly sexually assaulted a student at an elementary school in Phoenix has been arrested.

What we know:

The incident happened at around 12:20 p.m. on Nov. 19 at Orangewood Elementary School. According to Phoenix Police, a man got on school grounds and lured a student into a classroom where the alleged assault happened.

"At some point, the student was able to push the man away. He then ran from the scene before officers arrived," Sgt. Rob Scherer said.

Police say officers located the man who they believed to be the suspect, 25-year-old Abel Kai Gblah, and arrested him. Gblah was booked into jail and is accused of sexual assault and kidnapping.

Abel Gblah (Arizona Department Of Public Safety)

Dig deeper:

According to court documents, Gblah lured the victim into the classroom by pretending to be a doctor and telling her he needed to perform exams by putting her on the floor before allegedly assaulting her.

When Gblah was arrested, police say he was wearing the same clothes as he was in campus security footage.

Abel Gblah in a 2021 mugshot. (MCSO)

"Telling the student he was a doctor who needed to perform tests on the student. Once in the vacant classroom, he committed sexual offenses against the victim," a prosecutor said during Gblah's initial court appearance. "This is not the suspect's first sex offense. He has two convictions from 2021 for sexual conduct with a minor. He is still on probation for those cases and failing to comply with the terms of that probation."

Gblah was released from prison two weeks ago on similar charges and was also involved in the alleged smuggling of people across the border into the United States.

What they're saying:

Officials with the Washington Elementary School District have released the following statement:

"On Wednesday, November 19, Orangewood administration was made aware of an unauthorized male on campus. They immediately called 911 and placed the school on lockdown from 12:20 to 1:45 p.m. Upon investigation, it was determined that the individual gained access behind a student who was buzzed in through the main entrance. He was on campus for approximately 10 minutes and during that time, he made inappropriate contact with a student. Orangewood and WESD administrators have been working closely with the Phoenix Police throughout the investigation and last night they informed the District that an arrest had been made. The Phoenix Police can provide additional information about the matter.

The school and district understand how concerning situations like this can be. An Orangewood employee has been placed on administrative leave while the District continues its investigation. The school administrator will be working closely with staff and District Security to review safety procedures to ensure they are doing everything possible to keep Orangewood a safe place for students and staff. Additionally, District Security will be on campus for the remainder of the week.

School and District administrators truly appreciate the Phoenix Police Department’s quick response to the matter. We are beyond grateful for their help and support and we are thankful they were able to apprehend this individual so quickly. The school and district are working closely with the child and the child’s family to provide any and all resources and support that they might need."

Local perspective:

Parents expressed their worries, as well as their anger, on Nov. 20.

"I love the school, but I am mad, and I am frustrated, and I am confused, and I'm scared," said Lauren Nemecek.

"How did this man just walk onto the campus?" said Rebekah Minor.

"I am angry. It's upsetting. It's very unfortunate. It's a situation that no mother should ever have to go through or wants to think this could happen to their child, at their school," said Arlene Diaz.

Parents were notified of the lockdown after early dismissal on Nov. 19, but did not learn about the attack until Nov. 20, via an e-mail. In the e-mail, as with the statement above, the incident was referred to as "inappropriate contact."

"I wish they would have put that in the notice, because then we would have been more concerned, and for our kids safety," said Minor.

"What do I do? What do I say? How do I have this conversation? You know, we've always talked about body autonomy. We've always talked about who is allowed to touch you, where, when," said Nemecek.

What's next:

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said she is looking into the incident. She was not the County Attorney at the time Gblah was convicted for his previous offenses.

As for Gblah, a judge has set a cash-only bond of $500,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1.

Map of Orangewood Elementary School