Curtis Allen Rapp - Day Care Teacher turned Child Molester

A teacher at a private day care was charged with child molestation for allegedly fondling a 9-year-old girl who attended the school.

When interviewed by a detective, Rapp initially denied any wrongdoing, but court documents say he later confessed to putting his hand's down the girl's pants and fondling her.

Curtis Allen Rapp, 50, pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held in the King County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Detectives said the case came to light in early March when the girl told her grandmother that Rapp had touched her inappropriately.

According to court documents, the girl later told her parents and police that Rapp fondled her several times between June and September 2007 while she was attending the Small Faces Child Development center in North Seattle.

"Curtis wants the victim to sit on his lap...tickles her neck, back...and puts his hand into her pants," the documents read.

The girl said Rapp did the same thing to two other girls.

When interviewed by a detective, Rapp initially denied any wrongdoing, but court documents say he later confessed to putting his hand's down the girl's pants and fondling her.

According to court documents, he told police he "touched her both over and under her clothing for sexual gratification." He did not, however, confess to molesting any other children.

A Seattle police detective wrote in a statement of probable cause that Rapp said "I know it's wrong," after admitting the abuse.

Rapp has worked as a teacher at the day care since 2000 and supervises children ranging in age from 5 to 12.

He was placed on leave by the day care March 2 when the girl's parents and Child Protective Services officials informed the Small Faces director of the allegations.

Parents of the kids who attend the center described Rapp as a popular teacher who worked at a place they believed to be safe.

"He was a good teacher, a very esteemed teacher," said Penny Eachus. "It's such a wonderful place, it's a great school. Both of my kids have gone here."

Teachers at the schools did not want to comment, but the state Department of Early Learning said the day care did its job in trying to keep the kids safe as the center ran the required background checks, all of which Rapp passed.