Trial date set for former Lawrence school employee accused of child sexual abuse
A trial date has been set for a former Prairie Park Elementary speech pathologist accused of sexually abusing at least seven children while working at the school in Lawrence .
According to an amended complaint filed in Douglas County court on Nov. 17, 2025, Mark Elliot Gridley faces seven counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, or, alternatively, seven counts of battery. He also faces seven counts of kidnapping for his alleged role in the assaults, which prosecutors say occurred in February 2025.
On April 13, a Douglas County judge set a trial date for Jan. 4, 2027. The trial is scheduled to last three weeks, according to a case note.
Gridley was arrested on Feb. 8, 2025, after a student at Prairie Park Elementary School in southeast Lawrence reported “events that occurred during the school day” to a guardian on Feb. 7.
The former educator was initially charged with one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child on Feb. 10, 2025, according to a criminal complaint filed in Douglas County court.
That day, investigators said they reportedly learned about a second assault, the Lawrence Police Department said in a news release at the time. Both students reportedly received speech and language services from Gridley at the elementary school.
The Nov. 17 complaint accused Gridley of assaulting at least seven students.
Lawrence Police Department spokesperson Drew Fennelly previously said the victims ranged in age from 6 to 11 years old.
On Feb. 10, 2025, USD 497 interim Superintendent Jeanice Swift said Gridley had been fired. The district’s school board formally voted to terminate his employment on Feb. 24, 2025.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Gridley previously worked as a speech and language pathologist at two elementary schools in Topeka: Northern Hills Elementary School and Logan Elementary School.
Gridley posted a $750,000 bond on Aug. 14, 2025, according to court records. He is set to appear in Douglas County court for a motion hearing on Nov. 19, 2026.
The Star’s Ilana Arougheti and Nathan Pilling contributed reporting.
