Former Aurora school resource officer accused of sending inappropriate messages to 16-year-old student

"I trusted this person, and then they stabbed me in my back," the teen told Denver7.

Denver7 AURORA, Colo. —  A former Aurora school resource officer (SRO) is facing criminal charges after he allegedly sent inappropriate texts to a 16-year-old student at Aurora Central High School.

Egide "DJ" Ndagije, 26, became an SRO in August 2022. He also was a coach for the girl's golf team.

In Oct. 2023, the teen reached out to Ndagije and reported that she was being harassed by her ex-boyfriend. Ndagije initially seemed helpful, but the messages took a disturbing turn, according to the girl.

"It just went downhill from there," said the teen, who asked Denver7 to conceal her identity. "I trusted this person, and then they stabbed me in my back."

The teen reported the inappropriate messages to the Aurora Police Department, which launched an internal affairs investigation. According to department documents, Ndagije took a photo of the girl without permission, sent her text messages asking about her body and underwear and used a law enforcement database to look up the girl and her family members.

"I was a little worried, but I felt like in the long run, it would be better for me to speak up," said the teen.

Ndagije was charged with three counts of official misconduct in March. He resigned from Aurora PD, but a department spokesperson said, "He would have been terminated had he not resigned." Additionally, the state revoked his Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification in March.

"He's no longer able to serve as a police officer in the state of Colorado," said Matthew Haltzman, an attorney for the girl.

Haltzman said they are working on a civil lawsuit against Ndagije. The attorney said it is unclear right now if they will include Aurora PD in the lawsuit.

Haltzman said they are also looking into Aurora Public Schools. He said to the best of his knowledge, the school did not warn parents about the allegations.

In a statement, Aurora Public Schools said, "School Resource Officers (SROs) are employed by the Aurora Police Department. We have been fully supportive of APD’s investigation into the conduct of one of its former employees. We take all reports of misconduct seriously and want to emphasize that safety is our top priority."

The teen girl said she had to transfer schools just before her graduation. She still lives with the impact of Ndagije's alleged actions.

"It's a lot to take in," said the teen. "It's hard for me to trust people again.”

See the original article here: https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/aurora/former-aurora-school-resource-officer-accused-of-sending-inappropriate-messages-to-a-16-year-old-student