An E.J. Brown PreK-8 School gym teacher is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into two separate assaults of a sexual nature on two 7-year-old girls by three 7-year-old boys during gym classes.

The five children involved are all second-graders. The three boys were suspended for five days before winter break in connection with the incidents that occurred on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, Dayton Public Schools spokeswoman Jill Moberley said.

The first incident happened at 12:05 p.m. Dec. 5, according to a school district incident report involving one of the 7-year-old girls. That girl reported that while in gym class the boys “were grabbing her in a sexual manner, humping on her,” according to the incident report filed by the school resource officer.

Moberley said a school investigation found that all of the students were clothed and there was no penetration.

A substitute teacher was on duty when the Dec. 5 incident occurred and the district gym teacher was working the next day when the second incident occurred, Moberley said.

The substitute has been removed from the substitute call list.

Moberley said the district became aware of the alleged incidents after the first girl’s father contacted the school on Dec. 6 or 7. That started the investigation by school administrators and the school resource officer.

“It was in the course of the investigation that everything came to light,” Moberley said. Police were not contacted

School officials reviewed video surveillance and discovered the second girl was assaulted in a similar manner the next day.

The second 7-year-old girl’s mother told the newspaper she didn’t receive a call from the principal about what happened until two weeks after the alleged incident as winter break was starting.

Her daughter said she couldn’t get a boy off her. Another boy threw her to the ground, the mother said, and the girl elbowed one of the boys in order to get away.

Moberley said the principal will be meeting with the mother this week and said the delay is due to students just returning from winter break this week.

She said school officials have met with some parents. “The school has thoroughly investigated it…. They’ve been very responsible in addressing this,” Moberley said.