On a winter day in 2021,17-year-old Aryalle Stoner called police to make a shocking allegation: her father, longtime high school football coach and educator Ronnie Stoner, had been sexually abusing her from the age of 11, she said.
But the ensuing police and CPS investigation was flawed from the start, and Aryalle faced family pressure to take back her claims. Phone calls obtained by KyCIR show Ronnie’s girlfriend, another JCPS employee, tried and succeeded in getting police to drop the case.
An expert in child sex abuse investigations who reviewed the files said she saw many concerns with how the detective and social workers handled the case.
Meanwhile, Ronnie continued working with vulnerable youth and coaching football. Interviews and public documents reveal a surprising loophole that allows school staff members to stay in contact with children, even when under police investigation for child sex abuse.
Ronnie Stoner has since been indicted, and denies all allegations.
If you have information about this case, or you think there’s something we should know that we haven’t reported here, please contact Jess Clark at jclark@kycir.org or 502-814-6541.
Hearing stories like this one can bring up painful feelings and memories, especially if you're a trauma survivor yourself. If you need to talk, you can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE, or visit RAINN.org and click get help now for free, 24/7 support. If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
