Regina Jones, former principal of Aberdeen Middle School, and Tonya Johnson, a former paraeducator, have been charged with failure to report the rape of a student, according to Aberdeen police.

The investigation began on April 18, 2023, when a local hospital alerted police about a juvenile rape victim. Detectives discovered that the incident occurred on April 12, 2023, and the victim reported it to school faculty the following day.

Jones and Johnson allegedly knew about the rape on April 13 but failed to report it to authorities. Maryland law requires educators to report suspected child abuse or neglect immediately, without the need for proof.

Jillian Lader, Communications Manager for Harford County Public Schools (HCPS), provided the following information:

1. Regina Jones had not been serving as principal since September 14, 2023, when she was placed on extended leave.
2. Christine Kelly and James Blackwell were appointed as Acting Principal and Acting Assistant Principal, respectively. Their positions were made permanent for the 2024-2025 school year.
3. Tanya Johnson was terminated in July 2024 after being on administrative leave since HCPS learned of the allegations.
4. All employees accused of failure to report child abuse were immediately removed from the school upon notification of charges.

The Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the detectives’ findings. On July 16, 2024, Jones and Johnson were criminally indicted, and arrest warrants were issued. Jones was arrested and released on July 26, while Johnson was arrested and released on August 1. Both have pending court dates.

Additionally, police have charged a 17-year-old suspect with the rape of the student.

HCPS cannot comment further on pending personnel actions or specific criminal proceedings. For more information on the arrests and criminal proceedings, contact the Aberdeen Police Department or the State’s Attorney’s office.