Decades later, woman reports Northview teacher sexually abused her
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Kent County authorities say a man was arrested after a woman came forward to report he sexually abused her while she was his student in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office said the 51-year-old Cannon Township man was arrested Monday on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Arraignment was expected to happen Tuesday, at which point the man’s name would be released.
The woman told investigators that she was 13 years old when she was first assaulted in 1998 by a teacher at Northview Public Schools north of Grand Rapids. She said the abuse continued through 2003. Some of the alleged abuse happened on school property, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said the suspect was teaching elsewhere up until the allegations came to light and he was suspended. Lowell Area Schools forwarded News 8 a Monday letter addressed to parents informing them that a high school teacher had been placed on leave amid allegations of misconduct, but that “there is no indication at this time that the misconduct occurred on school property or involved Lowell Area School students or staff.”
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LaJoye-Young said the woman, now 39, decided to come forward on Thursday.
“She was telling her daughter what to do in the case that she might someday be approached by someone she didn’t want any contact with or if she became a victim of some sort, and realized that ‘I didn’t report this and I should probably report this. It’s important that I do,'” LaJoye-Young.
Detectives soon substantiated her account, the sheriff said.
“We are very sure in this context that this man victimized this young woman at the time,” LaJoye-Young said.
It took just four days from when the woman came forward for deputies to substantiate the allegations. While LaJoye-Young did not divulge specific details of the investigation, she said that generally there can be a lack of physical evidence in investigating old sexual misconduct claims. Still, detectives can track down and interview as many witnesses as possible as well as the suspect.
In a statement released Monday, Northview Superintendent Christina Hinds said the teacher in question last worked for the district in 2000. She said the district has been and will continue to cooperate with the investigation.
“Northview Public Schools was informed earlier today of the arrest of a former teacher by the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. This individual last worked for Northview Public Schools in 2000. We want to assure our community that the safety and well-being of our students are our highest priorities. Upon learning of the investigation, our district has been working alongside the sheriff’s office and will continue to do so to bring resolution and closure to this situation. As this is an ongoing criminal matter, we are unable to comment further or provide additional information at this time. We understand the concerns that incidents like these can cause and want to reassure our community of our unwavering commitment to student safety. We will continue to work diligently to uphold these values and trust. We appreciate the understanding and support of our community as we navigate through this matter.“
Northview Public Schools Superintendent Christina Hinds
The sheriff said her team doesn’t currently have any indication that the woman told any officials, including school leaders at the time, what happened before she called the sheriff’s office.
LaJoye-Young said detectives have interviewed the man but did not provide details about what he said.
“There’s still going to be an ongoing investigation after this name is released. We’ll try to determine if maybe there was a pattern of behavior, if maybe there are more victims that we don’t know about yet,” she said. “People’s behavior patterns don’t change. So if he was willing to victimize one 13-year-old girl, he’s willing to victimize 13-year-old girls.”
Anyone with information can call the sheriff’s office at 616.632.6215 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.
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The sheriff said recent changes to Michigan law removed the statute of limitations in certain sexual assault cases and that this case fits those circumstances.
“It is pretty often that a victim who is victimized over a course of several years doesn’t tell that story right away,” LaJoye-Young said, explaining the person may be too afraid, too overwhelmed or too discouraged about getting support.
But she said she that the lingering effects of abuse can eventually drive people to report what happened once they are adults.
“Justice can still be reached, but relief from the secret for sure can be released,” the sheriff said.
She said it was her department’s job to pursue each set of allegations as far as possible and try to offer “peace that this person has been held responsible.”
Saying 1 in 10 children are the victims of sexual abuse, the sheriff said it’s everyone’s role to watch out for signs of abuse and act as a safe space for children to report.
“Make sure that we are doing what we can to educate our young people, people who are in our families or in our neighborhoods, that nobody has the right to do that to you and if they do, it’s OK to tell, and we’re going to help you,” LaJoye-Young said.
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