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Fauquier Co. teacher charged with assault after allegedly using belt to restrain 7-year-old student

A music teacher at H.M. Pearson Elementary School has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

FAUQUIER COUNTY, Va. — A Fauquier County teacher faces charges after investigators say he assaulted a seven-year-old student last week by using a belt to restrain her and keep her "from being disruptive" in the classroom.

Brendan Mitchell Henry, a 23-year-old music teacher at H.M. Pearson Elementary School, was charged by the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office on Monday with assault and battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Detectives say a seven-year-old girl was assaulted by Henry during class on September 15 when he used his belt to restrain her. Investigators added that the student did not suffer any physical injuries during the incident. 

Parents of students at the school expressed outrage on Facebook on Tuesday after they said Fauquier County Public Schools allegedly waited days to tell them about what happened.

In a statement sent to WUSA9, a spokesperson for the school district wrote that staff worked quickly to protect students and remove the teacher from the school after hearing about the incident. 

"We took immediate steps to ensure all students and staff were safe once we were made aware of this allegation," the statement read. "The teacher was immediately escorted off campus and placed on administrative leave."

On Tuesday, some parents spoke to WUSA9 about the shock of finding out about the case on Facebook. 

"After it set in, I was upset that they (the school district) learned about it on the 15th and here it is the 21st and we’re just now finding out about it on Facebook," said Thomas Shifflett, whose five-year-son attends H.M. Pearson. "We’re not finding out about it until six days later. I don’t like that.”

Shifflett said his son had Henry as a teacher. After hearing about the assault charge this week, he made sure to ask about what Henry was like in class. 

"Owen visited that classroom sometimes twice a week, sometimes once a week," he said. "I asked him if Mr. Henry was mean in any kind of way. He said that Mr. Henry was a nice teacher.”

Other parents who spoke to WUSA9 complimented the school and said they approved of the response.

"H.M. Pearson is a great school. I never expected for this to happen at our school. It was a shock factor for sure," wrote one mother of a student. "I trust the school and authorities have done what they can. I would've liked to have heard from the school personally before social media but I also understand the school was doing what was best in protecting the child that it happened to and to investigate before jumping to conclusions."

"I hope the teacher can get some help and be removed from teaching any child," she added. 

Investigators said Henry was taken into custody by the Fairfax County Police Department before he was later released on a $2,000 bond.

He remains on administrative leave pending the outcome investigation. 

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