California educator, accused of molesting 8 students in elementary school, arrested

“Santa Paula Unified School District is aware of the recent arrest of a former employee regarding allegations of sexual abuse that occurred while the individual was employed with the District in 2018. At the time of the allegations, the District took immediate action by launching an internal investigation and working in close collaboration with law enforcement,” wrote the Santa Paula Unified School District in a statement, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.

Braff who was arrested earlier is being held on a $3 million bail and will be arraigned on Monday. His mother, Carol Braff, in a statement over phone call said “of course” he denied the charges. “He’s worked with children his whole life. He’s never been in trouble.”

Currently, Braff has been working as an assistant principal and counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles.

And according to a statement by his current employer Ingenium school, “Ingenium Charter Middle School is devastated to learn of the recent allegations. Upon learning of the allegations from McKevett Elementary in Ventura County, Ingenium took immediate actions to ensure the safety of its students. We take the safety and well-being of our students as our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community,” as reported by NBC Los Angeles.

Authorities at Ventura County said that the investigation against Braff remains open and they have urged individuals who believe they may have been victimized by Braff or witnessed “suspicious conduct,” to contact Ventura County District Attorney Investigator Greg Webb.