West Jordan primary teacher facing charges of suspected sexual child abuse
Jun 15, 2018, 11:52 AM
49-year-old Sean Sund booking image.
WEST JORDAN, Utah – A West Jordan man is in jail facing five counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
If that’s not bad enough, police are now wondering if there may be more victims.
45-year old Sean David Sund, of West Jordan, was a primary teacher in his LDS church branch and, according to a police probable cause statement, often had sleepovers at his house with children who were from his branch.
The child he’s facing charges for involves an 8-year old girl.
The aunt of the 8-year old was a close friend of Sund’s through their church connections and brought her to his house for sleepovers
Sometimes, the aunt would sleep at his house, too.
The information provided in the court paperwork is graphic, but in general terms, the 8-year old described to a police investigator how Sund would touch her, himself, and things he did to her.
Because of his position with his church, detectives are asking parents in his branch to talk to their children, especially those who would have had contact with Sund, just in case there are more victims.
“It’s important to note that these perpetrators, part of this abuse cycle, often involves them telling these kids, ‘hey, this is our secret. Please don’t tell any adults, you can trust me’ and these little kids and they feel conflicted,” said West Jordan police Sgt. J.C. Holt. “Sometimes they do not disclose, sometimes it’s years after the fact.”
According to police paperwork in the probable cause statement, when investigators went to his house last week, detectives say he confessed to two occasions of abuse, which were very similar to what was described by the 8-year old girl.
Police believe this may have gone on for at least a couple of months.
So far, there are no other victims in this case, but police are asking parents to have a tough conversation with their children if Sund was in their lives.
“This case involves an individual who really held a position of trust,” said Sgt. Holt. “They exploit that position of trust and then hurt these kids that are involved.”
