Police investigate Mona Shores parapro

NORTON SHORES, Mich. (WOOD) - A long-time employee at Mona Shores High School is under investigation for having alleged "inappropriate sexual interactions" with students, a "worst nightmare" scenario to the school district's superintendent.  

Mike D'Oyly, a music paraprofessional who was the high school choir accompanist, has not been arrested and is currently on paid administrative leave.  

Mona Shores School District Superintendent Dave Peden said they were blindsided by New Year's Eve allegations against D'Oyly.  Peden said D'Oyly first started working with the choir back in 1989, but didn't become an official district employee until 2000.  

"My guess, sadly, is it's going to have gone on longer than maybe we would think," he told 24 Hour News 8.

Peden said the parent of a former student contacted them on December 31, 2011, with concerns that D'Oyly may have had inappropriate sexual interactions with students.   

He said the district looked into it, and within hours of starting their internal investigation, it was clear something was wrong.

"We started our internal investigation on Tuesday morning [after the holiday], by about three o clock Tuesday afternoon, it was clear that there was enough stuff here, that that person was absolutely correct," said Peden. "For the safety of our students, we needed some outside help from the Norton Shores Police Department."  

Peden said they also told D'Oyly not to return to school after winter break.  

"He was not to set foot on school property," said Peden.  He also said D'Oyly's identification card was deactivated, and he was no longer allowed access to school computers.  

"My greatest fear is that he may have, that some of our students at that high school may in fact be victims," Peden said.

Peden said later Tuesday evening, Norton Shores police were able to get search warrants for D'Oyly's property.  

Musekgon County Prosecutor Tony Tague said officials found, through search warrants, explicit pictures and text messages that D'Oyly allegedly sent to students.

24 Hour News 8 was told there is more than one victim, and each victim is underage. Tague said as the investigation is still underway, they don't yet have a total number of potential victims.  

"I expect this to be a long-term investigation," Tague said. "We are going to have to go back several years at this point. The allegations do flow from both current and former students, so I expect this to be a long-term investigation."

Peden said the district brought D'Oyly in to meet with them earlier this week to get some answers.  Peden described D'Oyly as "uncooperative" in the meeting and said detectives were on site interviewing students Friday.  He said the allegations descended on campus "like a death."

He told us about the tight knit choir community, saying, "We met with the choir board of directors last night and we have a tremendous choir program here...unlike any other.  [We] met with them, and it was like the grieving process, and that's how we're treating it at the high school [Friday]."  

Peden said as a grandfather, "this is like my worst nightmare."

Extra counselors, social workers and clergy are available at the school.

"I look forward to the day where I see him in handcuffs," said Peden.  Prosecutors said Friday afternoon, an arrest will likely be coming soon.  

We also found out Friday that D'Oyly was an accompaniest at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Haven.  24 Hour News 8 went there, and spoke to Rev. Dr. Tom Cook.  He said D'Oyly only worked with adults there and there have never been any allegations of inappropriate conduct.  Cook also stressed that at this point, these are only allegations.

Officials said they hope any more potential victims contact the Mona Shores School District or the Norton Shores Police Department .  If parents or students have concerns about interactions with D'Oyly, they're also asked to contact officials.  

"It may seem like a small thing," said Peden.  "At least bring it to our attention...it may not be small."