Court records describe allegations involving younger classmates during the 2025-26 school year at the west Houston private school.
HOUSTON, TX — Three former students and athletes at The Briarwood School in west Houston have been charged with sexual assault of a child after authorities investigated allegations involving younger students during football and basketball activities in the 2025-26 school year.
Liam Mischner, 19, and Landon Bennett and Jace Burrell, both 18, are accused in a case that began after a student reported alleged misconduct to school officials in April, according to court records and local news reports. Charging documents identify two alleged victims and describe conduct in locker rooms, bathrooms and other school-related settings. The allegations have not been proven in court, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless found guilty.
Records reviewed by Houston news organizations say the investigation followed an outcry from a 16-year-old sophomore who described incidents involving members of the school’s athletic programs. Harris County Precinct 5 investigators responded to the school April 21, and Houston police later conducted a follow-up investigation. Investigators interviewed several students as witnesses or complainants.
The court records describe repeated unwanted sexual contact and harassment allegedly occurring between September 2025 and March 2026. Some incidents were alleged to have happened before practices or games, while other conduct was reported during travel connected to athletic events. One student told investigators the behavior became persistent enough that he began changing clothes outside the school locker room, according to ABC13.
Charging documents identify two students as alleged victims, both minors at the time of the reported conduct. Investigators were also told that other students might have experienced misconduct but had not come forward, according to published reports. Authorities have not publicly announced whether additional complaints or charges are expected.
Harris County court records show Bennett and Burrell each face three counts, while Mischner faces two counts, according to the Houston Chronicle. Mischner turned himself in and posted bond Monday. His attorney, Chris Tritico, said the defense planned to review the state’s offense report and evaluate the case as it moves through the legal process.
Bennett was arrested early Monday and later released on bond. Court records cited by local news outlets showed bonds totaling $75,000. At a court appearance Tuesday, conditions restricted his travel and contact with children younger than 17. Bennett did not address the allegations during the hearing. His attorney, Mark Bennett, who is not related to him, publicly denied the accusations and said the defense intends to contest the charges.
As of Tuesday morning, court records indicated Burrell had not yet been arrested. No public response from an attorney representing Burrell was included in the reports reviewed for this article. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office had not publicly detailed whether prosecutors expected additional charges connected with other allegations described in the investigation.
The Briarwood School said the accused students were removed from campus last spring after the allegations were reported and were not allowed to return. The school said it has cooperated with law enforcement and informed its community about the criminal cases. Briarwood is a private school serving students with learning differences, including dyslexia and ADHD, and its athletic teams compete through the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
Published TAPPS records show Bennett, Burrell and Mischner were members of Briarwood’s boys basketball program during the 2024-25 school year. Court filings cited by news organizations also link the allegations to football and basketball activities. School officials have not publicly released additional details about their internal response beyond saying the students were removed and that student safety remains a priority.
The cases remain pending in Harris County. Mischner and Bennett have been released on bond, while published court records showed Burrell had not been arrested as of Tuesday morning. Authorities have not announced whether the investigation is complete or whether other students will be identified as complainants.
Author note: Last updated September 22, 2026.