A 63-year-old custodian at South Bosque Elementary School is being held in jail on $500,000 bail in connection with the alleged repeated sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl that police say occurred 15 years ago.

Midway Independent School District officials said Monday that Gilbert Bara, of Waco, cleared a background check when he was hired 11 years ago.

District spokeswoman Julie Henry said Bara has held the same position since he was hired. Bara has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of a trial, Henry said.

Gilbert Bara

“An employee charged with this type of crime will not be returned to a campus setting,” Henry said.

According to Waco police spokesman Steve Anderson, a 20-year-old woman reported the sex abuse to police last month.

Bara was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

Bail on each count is set at $250,000, a McLennan County Jail spokeswoman said.

Anderson said Bara sexually assaulted the girl several times at various locations in Waco.

South Bosque principal David Everett sent a note home to parents Friday stating their children’s safety is the school’s utmost priority.

“Please know that your child is not in any danger,” the note stated. “We want to be very clear: The allegations relate to something that, if it occurred at all, took place 15 years ago.”

The note stated that the alleged victim is not a Midway student or former student, and the alleged sexual assault did not occur on school property.

Texas law states there is no statute of limitations on such a charge.

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