HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A former Klein ISD teacher has come forward as the "whistleblower" who alerted officials to another educator's involvement in a sex trafficking ring.
In a Thursday news conference, Desma Darden revealed herself as the complainant. The educator of over 12 years said she reported fellow teacher Kedria Grigsby to multiple district officials in February 2023, but nothing was done.
According to Darden, her daughter had been in a dating relationship with Grigsby's son but later became a victim.
In April 2024, more than a year after Darden's report, Grigsby was ultimately arrested on felony charges of child sex trafficking and recruiting minors for prostitution. Her son, Roger Magee, was previously arrested on similar charges.
With attorneys at her side Thursday, Darden claimed that she was not protected after reporting Grigsby. Instead, she said the district terminated her.
"I did not take this action simply because I’m an educator, my first response was because I’m a mother and it’s been a sickening dark pit in my stomach to know that Klein has sat on this information and lied to you for over a year," she said.
In April, Klein ISD released a statement that called Grigsby's alleged crimes "disgusting." The district claimed they contacted the Harris County Sheriff's Office in February 2023 and were told Grigsby was not a suspect. However, HCSO confirmed to KHOU 11 that no such call was ever made.
"Even if they did call, you don’t stop there," said Harry Daniels, one of Darden's attorneys. "You should at least remove a teacher with allegations of soliciting minors for sex trafficking, they did not. Instead, they fired the teacher who brought it to their attention, whose daughter was a victim."
Darden's attorneys argued that Klein ISD should have further investigated Grigsby in February 2023. They are now filing a federal lawsuit against the district on Darden's behalf.
In a statement Thursday, Klein ISD did not deny Darden's allegations that she was let go after coming forward:
"As we have said previously, the actions of ex-employee Kedria Grigsby are appalling and disgusting. We remain committed to removing bad actors and fully cooperating with law enforcement. We are aware of the allegations made by a self-proclaimed whistleblower who is actually an ex-employee documented for poor job performance. We have not seen any lawsuits filed against Klein ISD connected to this matter, but if one is filed, we will respond appropriately in court, not through the media. Klein ISD will continue to fully investigate and address any report of misconduct or suspicious behavior made to the district, and we are always ready to cooperate with local law enforcement. Our focus now is on successfully kicking off a great new school year at Klein ISD with a continued emphasis on the safety and well-being of every student, teacher, and staff member."