- A teacher was found dead in the water off Drakes Beach
- Darren Smith, 55, of Mill Valley High School, was identified as the dead man.
- He was arrested a day earlier on charges of child sexual abuse.
A California music teacher was found dead just one day after being arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and sexual abuse of a child under 14 years old.
Darren Smith, 55, of Fairfax, who taught music at Mill Valley Middle School, north of San Francisco, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child and continuous sexual abuse of a child.
When school district officials learned of the allegations, they contacted the Sheriff’s Office and placed Smith on administrative leave.
But less than 24 hours later, on Wednesday night, Smith’s body was recovered from the waters off Drakes Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore.
Emergency services were notified after someone on shore saw what they believed to be a surfer who had possibly been swept out to sea at Point Reyes.
California music teacher Darren Smith, 55, was arrested Tuesday following a report the school district filed with the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.
His body was found dead in the waters off Drakes Beach in Point Reyes, near San Francisco, a day after his arrest on suspicion of sexually abusing a child.
The man was last seen around 10 a.m. Wednesday with his surfboard washed ashore a few hours later at 1 p.m.
First responders from the National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Marin County Fire Department and the Sonoma and Marin sheriff’s offices began an “exhaustive” search for the man.
At 5:30 p.m., the body was found floating in the ocean and was later identified as Smith’s.
An autopsy and toxicology test were performed Friday to determine the exact cause of Smith’s death.
The Sheriff’s Office said the Mill Valley Unified School District notified them of the allegations and placed Smith on administrative leave.
Smith had been employed by the district since August 2013 and taught music from kindergarten to fifth grade at Mill Valley Middle School.
Smith’s arrest came “after a thorough investigation into the allegations, including forensic interviews and evaluation of evidence with detectives who developed probable cause to arrest Smith,” police said.
Smith had been employed by the district since August 2013 and taught music from kindergarten to fifth grade. He also had previously worked for 13 years as a music teacher in elementary schools in the Alameda Unified School District.
Smith was booked into the Marin County Jail on Tuesday, where his bail was set at $200,000.
The sheriff’s office said there are two known victims in the case, but declined to say whether they are school district students.
“The district has zero tolerance for any behavior that compromises the safety or well-being of our students,” district officials said in a statement Tuesday.
Marin County Superior Court records show Smith was to be charged with two felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child and one misdemeanor count of molesting or sexually abusing a child.
Elizabeth Kaufman, superintendent of the Mill Valley School District, sent a letter to parents Thursday about Smith’s death.
Elizabeth Kaufman, superintendent of the Mill Valley School District, sent a letter to parents Thursday about Smith’s death.
“This loss comes amid disturbing news regarding Mr. Smith’s recent arrest, which adds a layer of complexity to the emotions we are feeling,” he wrote.
Kaufman said schools have counselors and other staff members who can help students who “need help processing” the news of Smith’s death.
“Thank you for your compassion and understanding as we navigate these difficult times together,” Kaufman said. “Let us keep Mr. Smith’s family and loved ones in our thoughts as they deal with this loss.”
