YMCA employee arrested and charged with secret peeping at Raleigh elementary school

A YMCA employee is charged with felony secret peeping in connection with incidents that allegedly occurred at a Raleigh elementary school.

Kajaun Haywood, 22, worked in the after-school program at Wiley Magnet Elementary School, on St. Mary's Street in Raleigh. He was arrested on Tuesday and charged with felony secret peeping and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

The warrants for his arrest indicate Haywood is accused of secretly recording at least six people and that he was in possession of sexual images of children as young as toddlers.

Wiley Principal Tracy Avery said the incidents occurred on campus during after-school programs. He did not say whether the alleged victims were Wiley students.

Some parents are in disbelief tonight over a YMCA employee charged with secret peeping on school grounds.

"This is crazy-it should have never happened," Timelia Honablew, Parent/Caretaker said.

In a message to parents, Avery wrote, "Please know that law enforcement has identified and contacted the victims. In addition, this person is no longer employed by the YMCA and has been trespassed from our campus."

As children play outdoors Honablew keeps them in her line of sight.

"My main concern is who they are going to be interacting with-who are they really interacting with," Honablew said.

The YMCA said Haywood, who had been a part-time employee, had been fired. The Y provides staff for after-school programs in elementary schools across Wake County and in Durham, Orange, Chatham, Johnston and Lee counties.

In a statement, the YMCA said the organization is "deeply saddened and disturbed" by the charges and pointed to the "extensive child safety protocols" employed by the Y, including:

• background and reference checks
• ongoing child abuse prevention training and
• an external, confidential reporting system for YMCA staff, members and participants.

Avery wrote to Wiley parents:

"I want to assure you that we take the safety of our students and staff members very seriously. We have cooperated fully with law enforcement throughout the investigation ... the allegations in the charges are obviously very disturbing. Support services for students and staff will be available to anyone who needs them."

Haywood made $30,000 secured bond and was out of custody by Wednesday afternoon.

Courtney Haywood, the mother of Kajuan Haywood expressed her disbelief over the charges.

"My son, that's not him. I hate that these allegations are brought upon him but at the same time he graduated college and everything. It's not like my son," Courtney said.

Haywood has since been terminated from the YMCA of the Triangle and points to extensive safety protocols to keep this from happening.

The Raleigh Police Department says all but one victim were adults.