Former Teacher Charged With Taping Students Undress
TAMPA, FL — He was known to parents and loved by his students. But now Tampa Prep assistant swim coach Kimberly Brabson is under arrest, charged with ten misdemeanor counts after police say the 29-year-old PE teacher secretly taped his students undressing.
“You can see the students walking into his office. There is no one in there… unknowingly unsuspectingly, they are asked to remov their undergarments so they’re completely naked,” said Major George McNamara, Tampa Police.
Police say the girls on tape range in age from 11 to 15. Some were on the swim team; others were younger PE students. All are now receiving counseling after finding out they were secretly recorded.
“They’re young kids they’re shocked. Their families are shocked. They are victims. They had faith and trust in this man. They said there was no way that he did this,” said Major George McNamara.
“I think the real hurt to everyone was that he was very likeable, and everyone thought he was a great guy. To have this sort of thing happen was just horrible,” said Gordon MacLeod, Tampa Prep Head of School.
Tampa Prep headmaster Gordon MacLeod says several students first alerted school administrators of a possible problem. Close to twenty girls have so far come forward and now police believe Brabson was recoding students on numerous occasions over the past three years.
“We were really kind of grossed out, everyone had known him and then all this blew up,” said JJ Davis, Tampa Prep student.
“Emotionally it’s going to make these girls not trust other men in their life,” said Lauren Carr, Tampa Prep parent.
“I can just kind of picture how awful it must be, and then to find out now they were video taped. That’s just awful and terribly devastating,” said Gordon MacLeod, Tampa Prep Head of School.