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Teaching assistant accused of sexually molesting Brevard teen

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Discovery Elementary School teaching assistant and former counselor was arrested on lewd and lascivious molestation charges against a child, Brevard County authorities said Wednesday.

David Lindsay is on paid administrative leave from the elementary school and is no longer employed with Changes Youth and Family Services, where he was a counselor.

Authorities said his 14-year-old accuser was a counseling client, but when counseling ended, Lindsay was more of a mentor.

WFTV found out that when the 14-year-old no longer wanted to spend time with Lindsay, his mother asked why. The teen finally wrote his mother a letter detailing an incident that happened over Christmas break, said investigators.

According to authorities, the teen was spending the night at Lindsay's home and they were watching a movie on a laptop on a bed.

The victim said he believes Lindsay thought he was asleep when he placed his hands in the victim's pants over his underwear.

The victim also said he pretended to be waking up and said that's when Lindsay removed his hand.

The teen said he then went into a spare bedroom where he cried himself to sleep.

On Tuesday, police said they conducted a controlled phone call, which they monitored.

In that conversation, the teen said, "David, I want to know why you did it."

Police said Lindsay responded, "I'm not sure why." He later said, "I guess just being stupid," police said.

"Part of the investigation, he was asked if there were others or if he had done this before, and he said, 'No,'" said Yvonne Martinez of the Palm Bay Police Department.

Investigators said they are now concerned there could be other victims.

The district said he was never left alone with students in the classroom, but letters went out to parents anyway.

Lindsay's bond was set at $15,000 and he was ordered not to have unsupervised contact with children.

Anyone with information is asked to call Palm Bay police or 800-423-TIPS.