Video: Principal charged with child rape

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EVERETT, Wash – A private school principal from Arlington has been charged for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student.

Mark Evan Brown, 37, is charged with one count of third-degree child rape.

Snohomish County prosecutors say Brown, the principal of Highland Christian School for three years, had exchanged hundreds of text messages and phone calls with the girl. Some of the messages encouraged the girl to run away from home.

On June 12, prosecutors say the girl took Brown up on the offer. He allegedly prepared a small, unused room at the school with a hide-a-bed and TV. He arranged for someone to pick her up and bring her to the school. That night, prosecutors say Brown gave the girl rum and had sexual contact with her.

The girl's parents thought she had run away and called police. They discovered the calls and text messages to and from Brown.

Detectives were able to track the girl down using a prepaid "go-phone."

Court papers say she denied having sex with Brown up until Monday, when she admitted what happened.

Prosecutors also say Brown violated a protection order in which he was not allowed to have any contact with the girl. They have allegedly spoken three times on the phone since the order was made.

Brown arraigned Wednesday and has been booked into the Snohomish County Jail on $100,000 bail.

Detectives say they do not know of any additional victims.

KING 5 first heard about these allegations against Brown a few weeks ago while detectives were investigating the case. We talked to him then and he told us he was just trying to protect this 14-year-old girl from committing suicide. He said that at no time was their relationship sexual.