BUCKEYE, Ariz. — A former Buckeye teacher is facing kidnapping charges after he allegedly lured a 12-year-old student over to his Phoenix home for "sleepovers," police said.
Brendan Barnett, 36, is accused of having inappropriate conversations online with a student while he was teaching at Verrado Middle School.
Buckeye police later learned the student was alone with Barnett at his home on at least three occasions. The teacher had allegedly lied to the student's parents when he invited the student to his home for sleepovers, claiming he had a student-age child who would be in attendance.
Police later discovered Barnett does not have a daughter attending Verrado Middle School.
Barnett was arrested on July 10 and is facing charges of luring a minor and kidnapping.
The Litchfield Elementary School District released the following statement:
In response to the recent arrest of former Verrado Middle School teacher Brendan Barnett, Litchfield Elementary School District (LESD79) is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students.
Upon becoming aware of the allegations, Mr. Barnett was immediately removed from the classroom and the Buckeye Police Department was contacted, as was the Arizona Department of Education. Mr. Barnett was placed on leave and was not permitted on any of our campuses while the investigation continued. Mr. Barnett never returned to LESD79 in any capacity and his employment with our district ended on May 14, 2024.
It's important to note that Mr. Barnett had completed a fingerprint and background clearance check prior to his employment with the district, and until now, there had been no reports of misconduct brought forward by students, parents, or members of the school community.
As the legal process moves forward, LESD79 will continue to fully cooperate with the Buckeye Police Department. We want to reassure our community that we are taking this matter seriously and are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all of our students.
Sam Nuanez, Executive Director of Communications
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.