Daniel Bonet

Introduction

Daniel Bonet, also referred to in court records and police statements as Daniel Bonet-Ojeda, is a 49-year-old former assistant principal at James Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut, who turned himself in on the night of Monday, September 14, 2026, after a warrant charged him with sexually assaulting an underage student on two occasions during school hours. He is facing two counts of sexual assault in the second degree and two counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree, with bond set at $250,000. The arrest came nearly four months after the school district placed him on administrative leave as he faced parallel investigations by the New Haven Police Department and the state Department of Children and Families.

Background Information

Bonet’s tenure in New Haven’s public schools included an earlier removal from a school leadership post. In January 2019, he was placed on temporary leave from his role as principal of John C. Daniels School due to allegations of staff harassment and non-compliance with DCF reporting mandates — allegations he denied. When he was cleared to return to work, he was transferred into the assistant principal role at Hillhouse in August 2019. The arrest warrant described a far closer relationship with the alleged victim: the student regularly visited Bonet-Ojeda’s office to talk, and a school social worker told investigators she called him her “school dad.”

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Allegations. The claims in this section are allegations from a New Haven Police Department arrest warrant affidavit, which police reported corroborating with school surveillance video and witness statements. They were never admitted by Bonet and have not been adjudicated in court; he is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.

According to police, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families notified the New Haven Police Department of a sexual assault allegation on May 22, 2026. The allegation came from within Hillhouse High School and involved an assistant principal and a student; the administrator was later identified as Bonet-Ojeda. In its statement, NHPD said the student “disclosed two separate allegations of sexual assault which occurred on consecutive days in Bonet’s office after he arranged to be alone with her while school was in session.”

The warrant laid out the two days in detail. The student told investigators that Bonet-Ojeda sexually assaulted her in his office on May 21, and that the encounter was interrupted when another student called her phone and knocked on the door. The following day, she said, he approached her at lunch, said he needed to speak with her, sent a second student out of the office, locked the door and assaulted her again — stopping only when his walkie-talkie went off. Police say Bonet-Ojeda built a trusting relationship with the student before arranging to be alone with her, and that the assaults ended when he was interrupted. After the student disclosed what had happened to another student and a dance teacher, the teacher called a union representative for advice and then reported the allegations to DCF and the principal, according to the warrant.

Investigators said the victim’s account held up against physical evidence. Surveillance footage corroborated the timeline: on May 21, video showed the victim entering Bonet-Ojeda’s office and closing the door before another student knocked, with the three leaving together minutes later; May 22 video showed the victim and Bonet-Ojeda entering and later leaving the office. A sexual assault kit was completed at Yale New Haven Hospital, and laboratory testing found that Bonet-Ojeda could not be eliminated as the source of a male DNA profile in one sample; police have said DNA evidence collected does not rule him out. Detective Mariah Miller of the Special Victims Unit “was able to corroborate the victim’s account with video surveillance from the school which corroborated her accounts,” as well as “statements with witnesses and staff members,” according to the NHPD statement.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The arrest rippled through the school community immediately. Hillhouse Principal Antoine Billy sent a letter to families announcing that a warrant had been issued, and district spokesperson Justin Harmon wrote that school officials were “working with our school social workers and specialized staff to support our students and staff,” adding, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our students.” Harmon confirmed that Bonet remains on paid administrative leave, saying, “We always put people on paid administrative leave when an allegation is made. What will happen next is currently being worked out.”

Mayor Justin Elicker said the allegations and arrest were “extremely disturbing” and “rightfully shock the conscience of every student, parent and educator at the Hillhouse High School community,” writing that “this individual will be held accountable for their actions to the fullest extent of the law.” Parents voiced alarm of their own: Hillhouse parent Lorraine Mariera said “it was really scary to know that there was someone like that in their school.” NHPD spokesperson Officer Christian Bruckhart said there was “no indication” of allegations that Bonet assaulted other students — “not to say that there are no other victims, but at this point we only know of one.”

Current Status

Bonet-Ojeda was arraigned in New Haven court on Tuesday morning, September 15. His attorney, Don Cretella, asked for bond to be lowered, but the judge denied the request and kept it at $250,000; Cretella wrote that “the court did not lower his bond” and that “Mr. Bonet is attempting to make bail,” adding that once he had reviewed the warrant, “Mr. Bonet and I will begin his defense.” He was also ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the victim; if he violates that order, he could face an additional felony charge. Bonet-Ojeda is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 8. Bonet did not respond to a request for comment.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The criminal charges ended, at least for now, a career that had already survived one suspension. An interim replacement is filling Bonet’s position at Hillhouse, and with what happens next at the district “currently being worked out,” his paid leave has shifted from a holding measure into a likely prelude to termination proceedings. A second placement on leave in seven years, this time alongside felony charges, leaves little realistic path back to a school administrator role in New Haven regardless of the outcome in court. For now, the charges remain allegations, and the courts — not the district — will determine what Bonet is ultimately held responsible for.