Elite D.C. preschool ‘shocked and deeply unsettled’ by leader’s arrest on child sex charge

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a letter sent to National Child Research Center families and shared Tuesday evening with The Independent, board chair Megan Ortiz described the news, which was first revealed by The Independent, as “devastating.” “Earlier today, NCRC’s Head of School James Carroll was arrested and charged with Attempted Enticement and Coercion of a Minor,” the missive began. “While we do not have reason to believe Mr. Carroll’s conduct involves NCRC students or families, we do understand the arrest and charging follows an FBI investigation into Mr. Carroll’s online activity on social media channels and message boards.” The British-born Carroll is accused of having encouraged an undercover FBI agent posing online as the father of a 9-year-old boy to molest his “son” in various ways, according to the complaint. Carroll’s reported conduct — if true — represents a grave betrayal of your trust and ours.” open image in gallery The FBI tracked James Stewart Carroll both online and in real life, according to court filings According to the complaint against Carroll, the undercover FBI agent told him that he would record his son’s sexual abuse and would share footage that had to stay strictly “between me and you.” “Of course!! open image in gallery James Stewart Carroll came under investigation by the FBI after a Discord employee spotted child sex abuse material in an account allegedly tied to the 55-year-old educator “In difficult moments such as these, we draw on the strength of our community and our shared drive toward fulfilling our mission,” the letter concluded.