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5:01 PM April 26, 2005
South Bend teacher’s aide faces sex charges
Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A former teacher’s aide accused by prosecutors of stripping naked in a classroom and touching herself in a seductive manner and of having sexual contact with some students was charged today with nine criminal counts.
Schmeca White, 27, who worked at Greene Intermediate School, is accused of having sexual contact with seven students, both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 15, while supervising them in a classroom during their lunch period last year.
White was arrested today and was jailed under $10,000 bond, said Kenneth Cotter, the chief deputy prosecutor for St. Joseph County.
Among the allegations by prosecutors against White are that she forced an 11 year old boy to touch her with his mouth and that she pulled down the pants of a 13 year old girl and touched her inappropriately.
She also is charged with choking a 13 year old girl to the point where an ambulance had to be called. White had claimed the child was having an asthma attack, prosecutors said.
Cotter said the children, at least some of whom have mental disabilities, did not report White’s actions until after she was fired in January for an unrelated matter.
“I think this is more of a situation where the kids were concerned because this is a person who is in authority, and that if an authority figure says ’I’m gonna get you in trouble,’ then they follow through and do what they’re told,” Cotter said.
White is charged with criminal deviate conduct, sexual battery, sexual misconduct with a minor, two counts of child molesting, battery, vicarious sexual gratification and performing sexual conduct in the presence of a minor.
A call to the principal’s office at Greene Intermediate was referred to the school district’s superintendent’s office, where a message seeking comment was left Tuesday.
5:01 PM April 26, 2005
South Bend teacher’s aide faces sex charges
Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A former teacher’s aide accused by prosecutors of stripping naked in a classroom and touching herself in a seductive manner and of having sexual contact with some students was charged today with nine criminal counts.
Schmeca White, 27, who worked at Greene Intermediate School, is accused of having sexual contact with seven students, both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 15, while supervising them in a classroom during their lunch period last year.
White was arrested today and was jailed under $10,000 bond, said Kenneth Cotter, the chief deputy prosecutor for St. Joseph County.
Among the allegations by prosecutors against White are that she forced an 11 year old boy to touch her with his mouth and that she pulled down the pants of a 13 year old girl and touched her inappropriately.
She also is charged with choking a 13 year old girl to the point where an ambulance had to be called. White had claimed the child was having an asthma attack, prosecutors said.
Cotter said the children, at least some of whom have mental disabilities, did not report White’s actions until after she was fired in January for an unrelated matter.
“I think this is more of a situation where the kids were concerned because this is a person who is in authority, and that if an authority figure says ’I’m gonna get you in trouble,’ then they follow through and do what they’re told,” Cotter said.
White is charged with criminal deviate conduct, sexual battery, sexual misconduct with a minor, two counts of child molesting, battery, vicarious sexual gratification and performing sexual conduct in the presence of a minor.
A call to the principal’s office at Greene Intermediate was referred to the school district’s superintendent’s office, where a message seeking comment was left Tuesday.
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