McEachern student arrested after allegedly raping another student on campus

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Parents are very concerned after police say a student sexually assaulted one of his classmates on a high school campus.

Cobb County Police say the 16-year-old student took the 15-year-old girl into a boy’s bathroom and attacked her at McEachern High School.

“It concerns me a lot. It concerned me a whole lot,” one parent told Channel 2′s Tom Jones after picking up her daughter Wednesday. “You send your kids to school thinking that they’re safe,” she added.

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Malachi Mpata now faces felony rape charges.

The criminal warrant indicates that the frightened student says that back in November, Mpata took her to an area of the school where there are no cameras. She said it was after school when Mpata grabbed her by the throat, called her a name and then took her inside a boy’s bathroom where he attacked her.

The Cobb County School District says it immediately reported the incident and that the safety of its students is a top priority.

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Jones went by Mpata’s home to get his side of the story. His mother answered the door and said she would reach out to her attorney. That attorney said he didn’t want to try the case in the media and had no further comment.

Mpata’s neighbors had plenty to say. “I’m shocked. I don’t believe that. I just can’t,” said Sarah Dell. She described Mpata as a good kid, kind, respectful and nonthreatening. She said she even trusts him around her kids and other teenage girls. Jones read her the allegations in the warrant. She still was unfazed.

“That’s an unfortunate situation but I just can’t believe he would do that. He’s a really good, good kid and a good person,” she stated emphatically.

The school district says Mpata is no longer enrolled in Cobb County schools. He is being held without bond right now.

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