Wichita Christian school teacher arrested in child sex crime case involving student

A teacher at a private, Christian school in Wichita has been arrested on suspicion of a child sex crime involving a student.

Matthew McFarren, 41, was arrested on suspicion of unlawful sexual relations, Wichita police spokesman Officer Charley Davidson said Monday in a news release.

McFarren was a high school teacher at Trinity Academy, Davidson said. Detectives opened an investigation after police were notified of an alleged sexual relationship between McFarren and a 16-year-old student.

Trinity Academy officials are cooperating with the criminal investigation, police said. Trinity is a K-12 Christian school that had 544 students enrolled as of the 2018-19 academic year, according to its website.

While references to McFarren appear to have been removed from the school’s website, internet archives show McFarren was a Bible teacher and an assistant soccer coach. He had previously been a youth pastor at several churches.

“We are devastated at this news,” Kneeland Brown, president of Trinity Academy, said in a statement. “This alleged behavior leading to the arrest runs directly counter to the school’s beliefs and values.”

Brown said McFarren was terminated two weeks ago “for a violation of employee expectations and school policy” and that the school immediately made a report to authorities.

“The safety and security of our students is of primary importance,” the statement said. “Trinity Academy has a comprehensive Student Protection Plan that includes rigorous background checks, technology and precautions designed for the safety of our students, help for victims, and the screening of all employees, coaches and volunteers. Trinity will always be dedicated to protecting those who are in our care.”

Sedgwick County jail records show McFarren was booked on Saturday by the Kansas Highway Patrol. He is no longer an inmate of the jail.

The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether to pursue formal charges.

This story was originally published March 22, 2021 at 3:21 PM.