HOUSTON – Court records detail allegations that at least two students at The Briarwood School, a Houston private school serving children with learning differences, were sexually assaulted and harassed in locker rooms and other school-related settings during the 2025–26 school year.
Sexual assault of a child charges were filed Thursday against 18-year-olds Landon Bennett and Jace Burrell, as well as 19-year-old Liam Mischner. Prosecutors described their behavior in one court filing as “terrorizing.”
Bennett is currently in jail with a $75,000 bond, Mischner is free on a $50,000 bond, and Burrell has not been taken into custody, according to records.
According to the complaint, the case came to light in April when a student approached the school’s dean of students and athletic director about repeated incidents involving members of the football and basketball teams. The dean contacted a school counselor, and several students subsequently described alleged sexual misconduct and harassment by three upperclassmen.
The students reported incidents that included being pinned against walls, being touched without consent, being threatened and being targeted in locker rooms before practices and games, according to records. Some students also reported avoiding the locker room or shower areas because of the alleged conduct.
One student, identified in court records as a 15-year-old, told investigators that the alleged abuse happened repeatedly during the school year. The complaint says the student described being held down by other students and sexually assaulted while in the locker room. The student also reported repeated threats and sexually explicit harassment.
Another student told investigators that he was held against a locker-room wall and sexually assaulted while changing for practice. Other witnesses described alleged incidents involving nudity, unwanted sexual contact and students being pushed onto or against other students in the locker room and shower areas.
Some witnesses told investigators they were scared to shower or change at school because of the alleged abuse.
Lisa Landi, interim head of school at The Briarwood School, would not share whether any policies or procedures have changed in light of what allegedly happened.
“We have notified our community about the recent arrests of two former students. These charges are in connection with allegations that were reported to the School last spring. We have cooperated fully with law enforcement throughout their investigation and continue to do so. The accused students were removed from campus last spring and were not permitted to return to campus. Given that this is an ongoing case, we cannot provide additional information at this time because we do not want to interfere with the current work of law enforcement. Rest assured that the safety and wellbeing of our students remain our highest priority. We do not tolerate behavior by any student that compromises the safety or well-being of another student, and we take these issues very seriously,” Landi wrote in a statement to KPRC 2 News.
An attorney listed for Mischner has not returned a request for comment. Bennett and Burrell did not have attorneys listed at the time of this writing.
During his probable cause court hearing, a public defender said Bennett is supposed to leave for the Army in the coming weeks.
Protecting your child
“The abuser takes advantage of that difference in power,” said Kerry McCracken, executive director at the Children’s Assessment Center. “These upperclassmen use that to torment these other … children into not commenting.”
McCracken shared the following advice for parents with student athletes:
Maintain open dialogue with your children — Talk to them regularly so they know they can come to you if something is making them uncomfortable or if they’re being bullied or abuse
Use car time strategically — Talk to them on the drive home from practice or school when they’re a “captive audience” and can’t avoid the conversation
Ask specific questions — Inquire about their team, who they know, how well they get along with teammates, and who they like or dislike
Follow up consistently — Don’t just ask once; check in regularly and reference previous conversations to show you’re paying attention
Watch for behavioral changes — Look for signs like sudden desire to quit an activity they were excited about, mood swings, nightmares, or withdrawal from friends
Hold adults accountable — Ensure coaches, teachers, and other authority figures are paying attention and creating an environment where students feel comfortable sharing concerns
She said this type of alleged abuse could create lifelong trauma without proper intervention like therapy.
“Make sure you’ve got a good dialog with them so that they know if there’s something that’s making them uncomfortable, if they’re in fear, if they are being bullied or abused, they can come talk to you,” McCracken said.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.