JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Feb 15 2020– A school security guard at Highlands Middle School on the Northside was arrested Thursday on a child abuse charge stemming from an incident involving a student, Duval County Public Schools officials said.

Gregory Holmes, 32, was booked just before 10 a.m. Thursday into the Duval County jail, online jail records show. He is expected to make his first appearance before a judge Friday morning.

According to the school district, the incident occurred Tuesday at Highlands Middle and Holmes left the school after it happened.

School officials said Holmes went to the district’s administrative building Thursday to receive notification of his status as an employee and that’s when he was taken into custody by the Duval County School Police Department.

The principal of Highlands Middle sent a message to parents about the arrest.

“I am extremely disappointed to share this news with you, but I hope it demonstrates the extent we will go to protect our children. Please know that we will continue to work diligently to protect the welfare of our students and take decisive action anytime an incident like this happen in our district,” the message reads, in part.

As of Thursday, according to a DCPS spokeswoman, Holmes was still employed by the school district.

“If he is able to return to work, he will be reassigned under disciplinary status to a role with no student contact,” the spokeswoman said. “An administrative investigation will follow the criminal investigation.”

The spokeswoman said Holmes began his service to the district in April, resigned for personal reasons in August and was rehired in October.

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