crimes against children

Alexandria man charged with sexually assaulting 2 students at Edison High

Published October 1, 2025 at 1:30PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

An instructional assistant at Thomas Edison High School, located at 5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria (Fairfax County), has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two students.

Derrick Burroughs, a 40-year-old Alexandria man, was arrested after Child Protective Services received two referrals that two students were “inappropriately touched,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Burroughs, an instructional assistant with Fairfax County Public Schools since 2023, was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties by a custodian. He was released after posting a $3,000 bond, according to FCPD.

News

DASH places 2 registered sex offenders on leave following ALXnow reporting

By James Cullum

Published September 24, 2025 at 6:00PM

Electric DASH bus, photo via DASH/Facebook

Following Tuesday’s story about DASH hiring policies not prohibiting sex offenders, the transit agency has placed two employees on the Virginia State Police registry on administrative leave to “assess the rigor of our recruitment standards and ensure we meet the highest standards in providing safe, fair, and accessible transit to our community.”

ALXnow looked into DASH’s hiring practices after the Alexandria School Board discussed safety concerns about a proposal to transport Alexandria City High School students on DASH buses starting next school year.

News

Alexandria daycare employee fired after months of alleged child abuse

By James Cullum

Published July 3, 2025 at 12:15PM | Updated July 3, 2025 at 6:09PM

Two Birds daycare facility at 1737 King Street (via Google Maps)

Disturbing allegations of child abuse have been leveled against a daycare in Old Town by the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Over seven months (October 2024 to May 2025), a now-fired employee at Two Birds Daycare (1737 King Street) was observed allegedly physically striking and roughly handling children, yanking children’s hair, putting them in a dark closet as punishment, making demeaning comments about their clothes, and slapping kids who had toilet accidents, according to a May 21 DSS inspection of the facility.

News

JUST IN: Details on Alexandria resident charged taking indecent liberties with Arlington high school student

By James Cullum

Published March 6, 2025 at 11:00AM | Updated March 6, 2025 at 5:57PM

Booking photograph of Timothy McGhee, via ACPD, over a file image of Washington-Liberty HS (via ARLnow)

More details have been released on Alexandria resident Timothy McGhee, a substitute teacher in Arlington charged in January with stalking and taking indecent liberties with an underage Washington-Liberty High School student.

McGhee, a 47-year-old substitute math teacher at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, unsuccessfully ran for state Senate in Arlington and Alexandria in 2011. He was arrested on Jan. 10 and charged with stalking and taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a supervisory or custodial relationship.

News

Alexandria City High School boosts internal security after fights prompt early winter closure

By James Cullum

Published January 17, 2025 at 11:35AM

Alexandria City High School, Jan. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

After reverting to virtual learning two days before winter break due to multiple fights, Alexandria City High School fully reopened with extra security guards and new safety measures at both high school campuses.

The additions include extra security guards at the ACHS King Street and Minnie Howard campuses, new security protocols at weapons screenings, more hallway monitoring, security duty stations in high-traffic areas and increased lunch supervision, according to an email from the Alexandria City Public Schools to ALXnow.

News

Arlandria mom and boyfriend arrested after juvenile daughter allegedly raped for years

By James Cullum

Published November 14, 2024 at 11:15AM | Updated November 14, 2024 at 1:31PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A 49-year-old Alexandria woman and her 40-year-old boyfriend are being held without bond after she allegedly encouraged him to pay for sex with her juvenile daughter.

The mother was arrested Oct. 10 and charged with production of child pornography and possession/distribution of child pornography. The male suspect, who lives in Manassas, was arrested Oct. 11 and charged with rape, aggravated sexual battery, indecent liberties with a child under 15 and possession of child pornography.

News

Man arrested one year later for Braddock hit-and-run that left a local teen hospitalized

By Vernon Miles

Published October 8, 2024 at 5:00PM

Montgomery and North Patrick Streets, where a teen was struck in a hit-and-run (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 29-year-old man has been arrested by US Marshals and charged in a hit-and-run that hospitalized a local teen and caused a lockdown at George Washington Middle School.

29-year-old Zsavon Walters has been charged with malicious wounding and hit and run with a personal injury related to a crash at the corner of Montgomery and N. Patrick Streets on Oct. 4, 2023.

News

Alexandria woman indicted for child abuse and neglect

By James Cullum

Published July 11, 2024 at 3:30PM

The Franklin P. Backus Courthouse in Alexandria (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A 40-year-old Alexandria woman was indicted on child abuse and neglect charges Wednesday for allegedly abusing a three-year-old and six-month-old child in her care last year.

Rhonda Holland was arrested on July 1 and is being held without bond. She was indicted for two felonies — aggravated malicious wounding and child abuse/neglect.

News

Family assisting Alexandria Police Department in abandoned toddler investigation

By Vernon Miles

Published January 25, 2024 at 1:15PM | Updated January 25, 2024 at 2:15PM

Abandoned child at 8 S. Van Dorn Street (image via Alexandria Police Department/Twitter)

(Updated 2:15 p.m.) The Alexandria Police Department (APD) and the Child Welfare Services have launched a joint investigation into the abandonment of a child last night.

APD said the child was dropped off by an unknown person at 8 S. Van Dorn Street around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday. APD said they are working with members of the child’s family as part of the investigation.

News

Juvenile pistol-whipped and robbed in Arlandria on Monday night

By James Cullum

Published January 12, 2024 at 9:45AM

A teenager was injured and robbed at gunpoint in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue on Jan. 8, 2024 (via Google Maps)

A juvenile male sustained minor injuries after being pistol-whipped and robbed in Arlandria on Monday night.

At around 11:18 p.m., the victim was robbed by two males outside of an apartment building in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

News

Campagna Kids counselor charged with sexually assaulting a child

By Vernon Miles

Published August 2, 2022 at 1:15PM

Alexandria police announced today that they are charging Campagna Kids camp counselor Tae’Sean Atwater, 21, with sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13.

Atwater is being held in the Alexandria Adult Detention Center and while police say an investigation has only uncovered evidence of one incident, Atwater has been in programs connected to Alexandria City Public Schools since at least 2019.