Former Trinity Valley piano teacher arrested on indecency with a child charges, police say
A former Trinity Valley School piano teacher was arrested Monday on allegations of inappropriate conduct with a child, officials said.
Trent Muse, 28, was booked into the Fort Worth City Jail shortly before 1 p.m., according to police records. Bradley Perez, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth Police Department, said Muse was arrested on four warrants alleging indecent exposure with a child. Tarrant County court records show five counts of indecency with a child.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” Perez told the Star-Telegram in an email. “Due to the sensitivity of this offense, and the fact that juveniles are involved, no other details are currently available to provide.”
Officials at the Fort Worth K-12 private school said in a statement that they were “devastated” to learn of the arrest, and they are continuing to cooperate with the investigation.
“Out of respect for the privacy of our families and to protect the integrity of the investigation, we are limited in what we can share,” the statement reads. “Our focus remains on supporting our community as we move forward together.”
On May 21, Trinity Valley School officials sent a letter to families saying they had received reports the previous week of misconduct by a former piano teacher during the 2022-23 school year. The letter didn’t specify what the behavior was or identify Muse by name.
According to the letter, Trinity Valley School employees undergo a thorough background check before hiring and are required to sign a sworn affidavit that they have never been charged with or convicted of an inappropriate relationship with a minor. They also receive training on boundaries and what to do if child abuse is suspected.
The teacher in question hadn’t been on the Trinity Valley School campus since April 2023, the letter stated. He cleared a background check and reference checks before he was hired.
The head of Trinity Valley School, Blair Lowry, resigned from her position a few weeks later on June 5. The school did not say whether Lowry’s departure was planned.
Records showed Muse was in the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday with bond set at $200,000. It’s not clear whether he has obtained an attorney.
This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 1:45 PM.
