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Bond Granted For Former Preschool Teacher Accused Of Molestation

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Bond was set at $300-thousand Tuesday in the case of a former Coconut Creek preschool teacher accused of multiple counts of child molestation.

At a hearing Tuesday morning, prosecutors said they have three cases filed against 38-year old Olakunle Omomowo, who taught music at the Discovery Preschool at 5601 Regency Lakes Boulevard, and asked the judge to again deny bond.

The defense countered that they have statements from other children who said Omomowo had touched them, or given them back rubs, that didn't constitute molestation.

The defense attorney also told the judge that first child Omomowo was accused of molesting had just turned four years old and reportedly told investigators that it happened to everyone in her class. The defense claimed that the children's testimony wasn't reliable and the children interviewed by police were influenced by the media presence and the attorney who filed suits against him.

In the end, the judge set bond $300,000. If Omomowo makes bond, he have to wear an ankle monitoring device while under house arrest.

The mothers of several of the kids he's accused of molesting attended the court hearing.

One mother spoke to CBS4's Joan Murray and said the incident has devastated her family.

"The only way to explain it is its heart-wrenching," cried the mother who we did not identify. "My daughter is different than she was before, she was my happy girl and now I have to see her talk about what he did, I have to see her cry, I have to see her being angry, I have to explain that something happened to her, I have to explain why there's bad guys in the world that would do something to her."

Omomowo entered a written plea of not guilty during his July 15th arraignment.

Omomowo, of Lauderhill, was arrested in early June and charged with four counts of lewd or lascivious molestation on victims less than twelve years old.

In one of the lawsuits, "Jane Doe No. 36 v. Discovery Preschool", the alleged victim claimed that Omomowo tickled her genital area under her underwear in May, 2013.

The suit also alleges Omomowo sexually abused at least eight children at Discovery, girls and boys.

After his arrest, Discovery Preschool issued a statement in which read, in part, "We immediately notified the appropriate authorities as well as the families we serve as soon as the concerns were brought to our attention. We are supporting everyone involved to ensure a thorough investigation into this situation and will continue to support the children and families that we serve in every way we can."

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