Student Charged with Raping Classmate in School

A Niagara Falls High School junior has been charged with raping a classmate.

The alleged attack happened on Oct. 7 in a secluded stairwell in the high school while classes were in session, said Niagara County Assistant District Attorney Robert Zucco.

The 16-year-old male suspect is charged with first degree rape and first degree criminal sexual act. Eyewitness News is not releasing his name because he is eligible for youthful offender status.

The 14-year-old female victim immediately reported the incident to school officials, who in turn called police.

Parents of students at the school said they're concerned about safety inside the building.

"It's disturbing because -- it's all they have on their minds," said Theresa Ballentine, who has a daughter who attends the school.

School officials insist the school is safe and said they are reviewing security policies following the alleged attack.

"Sometimes things happen," said superintendent Cythia Bianco. "We have processes and procedures that we use to handle what happens."

Bianco said the attack was reported to police immediately after it came to the attention of the school's principal.

"I think there's quite a bit of assurance out there that our children are safe. We call our schools safe havens," she said.

The high school on Porter Road is a modern building wired with dozens of security cameras, but Zucco said they did not record the attack in progress. The surveillance system may provide other crucial details about the case, Zucco added.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in Niagara Falls City Court for a felony hearing on Nov. 24 at 9 a.m.

He's free on $10,000 bail, but he will not return to school because a restraining order prevents him from having contact with the victim.

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