“Do not necessarily assume that there will be prosecutions involving all seven individuals,” spokesman Don Aaron said. “One person we have spoken with is now an adult and lives out of state. She expressed no desire to move forward with any type of criminal case.”
Laise, 46, was charged June 4 with two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and two counts of rape involving a victim with a mental incapacity after police said he had inappropriate sexual contact with a 16-year-old girl who was suffering from the effects of a concussion. The girl did not attend Harpeth Hall but was on a travel team Laise coached, police said.
At the time of Laise’s arrest, police said they knew about a second victim and they were planning to present that case to a grand jury. When news of the arrest was made public, three more girls came forward bringing the total number of victims to five.
On Wednesday, Aaron said investigators had heard from or knew about two additional victims, bringing the total to seven. He did not release any other details about the victims.
According to officials at the Davidson County Sheriff’s office, Laise remains hospitalized at Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute after a failed suicide attempt last week at the jail. A security officer found Laise after he tried to hang himself with a bed sheet, spokeswoman Karla West said.
Harpeth Hall Head of School Ann Teaff sent several letters to parents, students and alumni of the West Nashville private school last week expressing shock over the charges against Laise.
She said Laise had been terminated and that guidance counselors were meeting with students.
The coach, known as “Rico” to everyone at Harpeth Hall and the Nashville soccer community, was arrested on campus.
He is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on Monday.
Police are asking anyone with information about the case or suspicion about similar relationships to call Metro’s Sex Crimes Unit at 615-862-7540.
Source- Tennessean