Riverside School District employee investigated for alleged child pornography possession

A Riverside School District employee is on administrative leave as the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office investigates child pornography possession allegations, Riverside superintendent told families Wednesday.

The unnamed employee is on leave from positions as a paraeducator at Riverside Elementary School and a coach at Riverside High School. An initial investigation does not indicate that any Riverside students were involved in the allegations, superintendent Ken Russell wrote to families in an email.

“Please know our students are completely safe,” he wrote.

The district placed the employee on administrative leave Tuesday afternoon, immediately after becoming aware of the investigation. While on administrative leave, employees are relieved of all duties, barred from school grounds and prohibited from contacting students and staff.

Russell said he cannot share the name of the employee and hasn’t received an update from the sheriff’s office indicating an arrest.

The district is working closely with the sheriff’s office as the investigation continues, Russell wrote.