Mom speaks out after inappropriate texts found between football coach and daughter
LANHAM, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - In February, a Prince George's County high school football coach was put on leave after administrators found inappropriate texts with a student. Now, the mother of the student in question is speaking out, claiming the school didn't do enough.
Coach Tarrell Lockwood was placed on leave after the texts were given to administration. FOX 5 is now hearing from the girl on the other side of those texts, as well as the mother. They say Lockwood was making uninvited advances toward the girl.
"He didn't physically touch her, but he asked. Told her that he wanted her to wear a skirt so he could peak up under her skirt," said the girl's mother, Candra Jones. "He was trying to groom her and get her together before he was actually trying to get into the actual act."
"It was weird because I was like, this couldn't be Lockwood because I looked at him as like a father figure," the girl told FOX 5. "Besides the messages, he said he wanted to play with me."
FOX 5 has obtained a copy of the text messages in question.
In one conversation, Lockwood asked the student to wear a specific kind of underwear. In another exchange, he implores her to delete the texts.
Jones says they alerted administrators at Duval High School about the texts in January, but nothing was done for two weeks.
Once Prince George's County Public Schools officials were notified, they placed Lockwood on paid administrative leave. He later resigned on March 22.
Jones feels the action taken by the school was not only too late, but also too little.
"They get no justice. So, if they're not getting any justice why should I speak? So why should I tell something so traumatic for the world to hear and nobody really listens," said Jones.
Jones wants to know why criminal charges weren't filed.
FOX 5 spoke to Prince George's County Police and they said while the texts were inappropriate, they weren't against the law. Lockwood never solicited for sex. Police say if he had asked for nude pictures, charges would have been filed.
Child Protective Services conducted its own investigation and found instances of abuse. Police say that finding will prevent Lockwood from ever working in the county again.