i-9 investigation uncovers allegations that at least three elementary students were repeatedly sexual abused at Starry Elementary School in Marion by a Marion High School student volunteer.

To say details were few in that first and only public statement made on this case is an understatement. The release from Marion police only says school staff contacted police about a sexual abuse allegation at the end of October and that, after an investigation, a 15-year-old student was charged with 3 counts of sexual abuse. Since then, school officials have been tight lipped, referring nearly all questions back to the Marion Police Department. It's a mantra the superintendent of the Marion Independent School District is sticking to.

TV9 News has learned at least three 5-year-old kindergarteners were sexually abused at Starry Elementary School, during school hours, repeatedly, from August through October last year at the hands of a Marion High School student participating in a volunteer program overseen by the school district. According to court documents, the teen responsible police believe is 15-year-old Logan McMurrin.

"How did this happen?" KCRG-TV9's Chief Investigative Reporter Josh Scheinblum asked Chris Dyer, the superintendent for the Marion Independent School District.

"I would be really happy to talk to talk with you about anything you would like to talk about but you have to recognize this child is protected by Iowa law," Dyer said.

The law Dyer referred to is a relatively new one in Iowa. It took effect last summer and keeps most juvenile court records secret. But because McMurrin is accused of sexual abuse, the law says those records are public, even for minors. That’s how i-9 was able to go to the Juvenile Court to get documents regarding to the case. That is the only way TV9 News learned McMurrin’s name, that there were multiple victims and their ages, and that the abuse had been going on for months. Aside from the court documents, neither the police nor the district ever included that information in public statements about the case. We also learned exactly what McMurrin is accused of doing – and it is too graphic to share on television.

We shared what we knew with a Starry Elementary parent who says her child was one of those molested by McMurrin. We’ll call her Judy, she’s asked us to hide her identity.

"I should not have to go look for answers, I should have had them helping me through this whole process," said Judy.

Judy believes school officials not only failed to keep her child safe but also were slow to tell parents what was going on, and still hasn’t fully explained the details.

"There really wasn’t much communication," said Judy. "The communication that was there was, yes, that they couldn’t talk about it because it was an ongoing investigation."

Judy is not the only one who had been kept in the dark. The superintendent says that letters were not sent home to parents at any time at either the elementary school where the alleged attacks took place or at the high school where the alleged attacker had attended.

"We have been directed by the Marion Independent School district’s police department to cease with our communications," said Dyer.

We asked the Marion Police Department why it gave those instructions. They declined an on-camera interview saying they, “did not see the benefit of an interview.” But Spokesman Lt. Scott Elam gave us a written statement saying, in part it allowed, “… us to speak to the victims and witnesses to provide their own recollections of events. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the suspect was arrested and taken to juvenile detention. At that point, the Marion Police Dept. issued a public release regarding the arrest…”

That release was sent out November 23rd but Marion’s superintendent still isn’t talking.

It’s worth noting police say the district banned McMurrin from campus as soon as the allegations arose in October. He is still in juvenile detention and has not been back in class. Police officers made themselves available to answer parents questions after a school board meeting shortly after McMurrin’s arrest in November. School officials have reported taking similar steps. The teacher who oversaw McMurrin is no longer in the classroom, she’s currently out on paid administrative leave. McMurrin has not yet entered a plea and is awaiting trial, he's facing three counts of sexual abuse.

TV9 News reached out to McMurrin’s lawyer for comment but we have not heard back at this time.

The other big question parents had is how this could happen, in turn, we asked to see what the district is doing to stop something like this from happening again. We’ll share that with you tomorrow night on the KCRG-TV9 News at 10.

Following airing both Parts 1 and 2 of this story, the Marion Independent School District released the following statement:

"In light of recent reporting, the Marion Independent School District would like to clarify its position on the confidentiality of an investigation involving allegations of sexual abuse at an elementary school. The student information requested from the District regarding the investigation is confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Iowa Code Section 22.7(1) and the personnel information requested is confidential under Iowa Code Section 22.7(11). In addition to state and federal law, the Marion Police Department requested that the District cooperate with its active investigation of the matter by keeping the information requested confidential.

"Contrary to reports, the District addressed parental concerns about the allegations at a District Board meeting on November 14, 2016 with the Marion Police Department in attendance and available to answer questions. Furthermore, the District met individually with affected parents at the end of November and early December, 2016.

"The District placed one employee on a paid administrative leave November 28, 2016 while it investigated the allegations and its internal procedures. The District has not yet concluded the investigation pending the Marion Police Department’s investigation and the County Attorney’s review of the matter.

"In response to recent reporting regarding the District’s volunteer program, the District notes that it is not legally obligated to perform background checks on any volunteer (adults or students). However, the District always had an internal review process for volunteers. Nonetheless, in December, 2016, the District identified and implemented policy changes related to the internal review process for volunteers.

"The District recognizes these allegations are disturbing for parents and students alike. However, the Marion Independent School District has always and will continue to take seriously its responsibility under state and federal laws and board policy to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for its students."