Report: Teacher allegations true
KEITH COUSINS/Staff writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 4 months AGO
COEUR d'ALENE - A Coeur d'Alene Police Department report indicates that a public school teacher accused of sex crimes involving a child told investigators that the victim's allegations are true.
Daniel Taylor, 32, is on paid administrative leave from the Coeur d'Alene School District and faces up to life in prison if found guilty. The alleged incident did not involve a student or take place on school grounds.
According to the police report, the alleged victim's mother contacted the police department Dec. 5 to report a sex offense.
The girl's mother told investigators that in the fall of 2012, the girl, now 7, and Taylor were taking a shower when a rape allegedly took place.
The police report details detectives' initial interviews with the child, who reported three incidents of sexual abuse, claiming they began in January 2011 and ended in August 2012.
When questioned by police, the report states that Taylor initially "adamantly" denied ever taking a shower with the alleged victim.
"I literally can't image (sic) myself doing that," Taylor reportedly told police. "I can't image (sic) that would take place."
The officer then told Taylor that "he knew" why he was asked to come in for questioning and still came in.
"I told him it was because I believe he wants to be honest about what happened," the officer's investigative report states. "Daniel said he has been thinking about this all week."
After further questioning, Taylor admitted to the officer that he had spoken to the alleged victim about keeping the incident a secret because "he felt like he was probably going to get into trouble."
The officer then referenced the interview with the alleged victim, to which Taylor replied "everything (she) has said is true."
At the conclusion of his initial interview with police, Taylor agreed to take a polygraph on Dec. 16.
However, on the day the test was supposed to take place, investigators received a phone call from a Coeur d'Alene attorney stating that the polygraph would be canceled until Taylor can speak with legal counsel. Taylor was arrested in front of his Coeur d'Alene residence later that day.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled in Kootenai County District Court on Dec. 31.
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