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More mothers say Belleville school hid sex assaults

This is the second mother to claim an older child abused her daughter during a summer program at Whiteside Elementary School.

Another St. Clair County mother stepped forward to say her daughter was sexually assaulted at school and that school officials never informed her about the incident.

This is the second mother to claim an older child abused her daughter during a summer program at Whiteside Elementary School.

Through tears, Christicia Dowell said that summer program officials at the school never told her 9-year-old was assaulted, even though she claims they knew for weeks.

MORE | Mother says school covered up sex assault of 8-year-old daughter

“If it wasn't for an anonymous source coming forward, if it wasn't for me being co-workers with Ms. Springfield, I would never have known,” Dowell said.

LeCretia Springfield spoke with 5 On Your Side Investigates on Tuesday claiming the same older child assaulted her 8-year-old.

“She said the girl had been putting her tongue in her mouth and her hands in her pants,” said Springfield.

Springfield said the only mention she ever heard about any contact between her daughter and the student was described as a 'kissing' club or game.

“She told me, ‘Oh, you’re fine. Your daughter wasn’t a part of it. I just have to make all parents aware we discovered something. We handled it,’” said Springfield. “They made like it was no big deal.”

About a week or so later, a school worker came forward and told her the school knew more than they were saying - and that something bad had happened.

When we spoke with District 115 Superintendent Peggy Burke on Tuesday, she said all parents were informed at the time of the initial incident.

“The summer director spoke with every parent individually who had a child that was involved with this and let them know what had occurred,” Burke said.

"I was never approached by school officials, by a teacher by a staff member, supervisor, higher administration, I was never approached by them regarding the kissing incident report or regarding the inappropriate touching,” said Dowell.

In addition, a third parent who would not go on camera told 5 On Your Side today that had she just found out her child was a victim during the same incident.

All parents claim weeks went by between the 'kissing game' incident and when they found out.

We informed Superintendent Burke about Dowell's claims.

However, Burke 'doubled down' on her claim that all parents whose children were involved in 'the incident' were notified at the time.

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