Fall River special education teacher accused of groping 9 girls

PLAINVILLE, Mass. — A Fall River special education teacher has been arrested after being charged with second-degree child molestation.

Police said nine girls between 12 and 14 years old reported that Matthew Labriola intentionally bumped into them, grabbing their chest or shoulders.

The alleged molestation happened when girls were on a field trip to the Providence Place Mall. The girls who were on a trip with a parks and recreation camp from Connecticut had broken off into smaller groups when the incidents allegedly happened.

Mall Security located a man matching the description, and the girls positively identified him.

Fall River Public Schools confirmed that Labriola was hired as a teacher at Morton Middle School in 2015 and is currently on administrative leave during the investigation.

Labriola is charged with three counts of simple assault, five counts of second-degree child molestation and one count of second-degree sexual assault.

Cox Media Group