WMBB News 13 - The Panhandle's News LeaderPolice Investigate North Bay Haven Incident

Law enforcement and school officials are investigating an incident at North Bay Haven Charter School.

A parent called the police and a report has been filed stating alleged inappropriate use of a cell phone in a locker room.

This incident is still under investigation by the Panama City Police Department. But the coach at question has been suspended.

It's almost time for school to be out, and Jack Underwood is waiting for his grandchild.

But Jack is concerned. Last week a parent filed a police report with the Panama City Police department. In it the complainant says her son believes a coach filmed him on a cell phone while changing clothes in the locker room. 

Underwood, a former law enforcement officer, says the allegations do bother him. "It's not a very comforting thought."

Meredith Higgins, the principal of North Bay Haven, says administration suspended the accused coach with pay. "This is unprofessional behavior, obviously, and criminal behavior if it actually happened, so we consulted with our attorney and our attorney gave us the advice that suspension immediately was the right course to take, so we did that."

Higgins says a parent called the school to complain about the incident at the same time the police started the criminal investigation. "When the police came to investigate, it was within the hour that …the complaint that came to us."

The entire school was not notified of the circumstances, but parents of children involved were contacted. "Students who may have been around, involved, or witness to that; their parents have been contacted, so those parents are aware of the investigation."

So while the school administration awaits the results of the investigation, parents wonder what the outcome could be. "They'll investigate it and do a thorough job. If he's guilty, he'll come out of the school system and he'll be prosecuted by the legal system."

North Bay Haven administrators are also conducting their own internal investigation.