BALTIMORE — A collaborative investigation is underway involving the Baltimore City Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, focusing on a former substitute teacher who worked at the Downtown Baltimore Child Care within the Homewood Early Learning Center. This probe arises due to the teacher’s previous conviction related to the distribution of child pornography.
The Baltimore City Police confirmed the details of this investigation on Monday.
A spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department stated, “Investigators are actively looking into a former employee of the childcare facility. This is an ongoing investigation, and the individual in question is presently incarcerated,” as reported by WMAR-2 News.
In a letter addressed to the Johns Hopkins community on Sunday, it was revealed that Simone Avery, 23, was employed as a substitute teacher at the Homewood Early Learning Center from June 29, 2023, until May 2, 2024.
Public court records indicate that the offense leading to Avery’s arrest occurred in July 2024, after her tenure at the learning center concluded.
Avery faced charges in May 2025 and was convicted by September 2025.
Currently, she is serving a two-year prison sentence.
Officials from Johns Hopkins University announced that law enforcement had confirmed over the weekend that the family of the victim has been informed, though no further details were disclosed.
The officials noted that Avery had successfully passed federal and state background checks both prior to and during her time at the learning center, asserting that University officials were unaware of her arrest until they received notification from law enforcement on February 27.
Johns Hopkins stated that the institution is “fully cooperating” with the authorities and is urging for a thorough investigation.
Branville G. Bard, the vice president for public safety and chief of police, emphasized, “This is a severe breach of trust and a violation of the safety of our most vulnerable individuals—the children belonging to our faculty, staff, students, and community. We are here to provide support to anyone who needs it during this difficult period, including those indirectly affected.”
The complete statement from Downtown Baltimore Child Care is as follows:
March 1, 2026
Downtown Baltimore Child Care was made aware on Friday, February 27, that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are engaged in a joint investigation concerning one of our former employees, resulting from a 2025 state conviction for the distribution of child pornography.
The individual in question, Simone Avery, served as a substitute teacher within several classrooms at the Homewood Early Center from June 29, 2023, to May 2, 2024. According to public records, the offense that led to Ms. Avery’s arrest occurred in July 2024, after her employment at DBCC had ended. Ms. Avery was charged in May 2025, convicted in September 2025, and is currently incarcerated.
This is profoundly troubling and distressing news for us. We have numerous unanswered questions. However, law enforcement has assured us that the families of identified victims have been notified and, while this investigation is ongoing, they currently have no information suggesting additional victims associated with DBCC. We can also confirm that Ms. Avery cleared both federal and state background checks during her employment.
The safety and well-being of the children entrusted to our care remain our top priority. We are collaborating with law enforcement to gain a clearer understanding of the situation and will provide full cooperation for any investigations stemming from this matter.
The university encourages anyone who may possess relevant knowledge or information regarding the investigation to contact the FBI Baltimore Field Office at 410-265-8080 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov [s2.bl-1.com].
