Mother of child allegedly sexually assaulted by Peoria teacher speaks out

PEORIA, Ariz. (FOX 10) - A Peoria teacher was arrested last week on claims that he may have inappropriately touched three 5th grade girls at Sun Valley Elementary School. Now, a victim's mother has shared her story with us.

The mother of the 12-year-old didn't want to be identified to protect the identity of her daughter but says this should have never happened.

The mother tells us that her daughter just recently told her about the abuse happening in her school. She says she was scared of not being believed.

"These girls are very brave," the mother said. "So brave for coming forward. They're still scared about certain things, but they did it."

An emotional mother of a 12-year-old girl shares her story of her daughter allegedly getting molested by her teacher, 43-year-old Ricky Ordway. Ordway is accused of sexual abuse and molestation of a child at Sun Valley Elementary School in Peoria.

"This wasn't something that was easy for her," the mother said. "And I was there with her and she was still nervous that people wouldn't believe them."

"You just don't believe it at first, not that you don't believe them, but you don't believe that you can wake them up every morning and rush them out of the house and go through the process of, 'Come on, let's go, we have to go to school,'" the mother went on to say. "And really what I was doing was handing her over to a molester."

The mother says it began at the beginning of the school year - inappropriately touching the young girls on separate occasions during class hours.

"He told her he wanted to touch her leg and go up her shorts," the mother said. "And she slapped his hand and that's when he threatened recess. He looked back and said, 'You have the right to defend yourself' and giggled.

Ordway allegedly told the girls, "When you're 18, move in with me," "Don't tell anyone or I will get fired," and, "You're the most beautiful girl in the world."

"He's a disgusting human being and there is no power on earth that can give him what he deserves for hurting these girls," the mother said. "God will deal with him."

The mother says the district should have done more to inform other parents of what happened at the elementary school and she hopes that if it happens to another child, they should be brave enough to speak up. Right now, there are three victims with two possible additional victims. The mother says that the police told her there can be more victims.

As for the teacher - he has denied all allegations.