Maryland teacher indicted on rape charges almost a month after missing Pikesville girl found

Dan Belson, The Baltimore Sun
·2 min read
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BALTIMORE — A Baltimore County grand jury returned a 24-count indictment Monday against a city teacher who was accused last month of sexually abusing his 12-year-old neighbor.

Lewis M. Laury, the 24-year-old Baltimore City Public Schools teacher who was arrested a few days after the missing girl was found in his apartment in late June, faces 12 counts of second-degree rape on top of other sex offense and assault charges. He remains held without bail in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Police believe that Laury, who taught U.S. History at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, had sex with the girl multiple times over the span of four days in late June while authorities searched for the 12-year-old. Her parents had reported her missing on June 21 after she had left a note at home stating that she was visiting a friend in Pennsylvania.

The search eventually led investigators to Laury, who prosecutors said had met the girl at a playground in their neighborhood. They found the girl in Laury’s apartment in the Pikesville area, though the 24-year-old wasn’t home. While being interviewed by detectives at a hospital, the girl said she had told Laury that she was 22 years old.

Laury, a Towson University graduate who documented prior internships at the Baltimore City Council and Maryland General Assembly on his LinkedIn page, was arrested a few days later.

Baltimore City Public Schools did not release specifics on Laury’s employment status immediately after the arrest, though shared a letter to parents from Mervo Principal Jermaine Skinner stated that the school system’s Human Capital Office “is aware of the arrest and will take appropriate action.” He did not have an attorney listed in the Baltimore County Circuit Court case initiated by Monday’s indictment but was represented by the Office of the Public Defender earlier this month in district court.

Alisa Fornwald, the public defender who represented Laury at his bail review, said her client denied the allegations. Prosecutors said at the same hearing that Laury admitted to spending time with the girl but did not acknowledge whether or not they’d had sex.

Laury did not have any future court dates scheduled as of Wednesday morning.

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