Student's mother testifies as Maryland elementary school teacher faces sexual abuse charges
A mother delivered an emotional testimony on Thursday in the trial of the former Anne Arundel County elementary school teacher who is accused of sexually abusing her daughter and others.
Matthew Schlegel, 45, who was a third-grade math teacher at Severna Park Elementary School, allegedly sexually abused eight students during class between August 2022 and March 2024. He is facing 33 counts of assault and sexual abuse of a minor.
Prosecutors said 22 of the initial 55 counts were dropped after three of the children were unable to testify due to mental health concerns.
The mother told the jury that her daughter is "not the same child that she was before her third-grade year."
She testified that before learning about the alleged abuse, her daughter became very withdrawn, stopped wanting to go to school, and developed a fear of being without her parents. The mother added that her daughter ensured the doors at her home were always locked.
The defense maintains that Schlegel has been "falsely accused."
A mother: "I've never felt more sick"
The Anne Arundel County Public School district said Schlegel was removed from the classroom on March 15, 2024, immediately after they were notified of the allegations.
A district spokesperson said Schlegel had been employed with them since 2008. He became a teacher at Severna Park Elementary in 2016.
The mother of one of the children said that when parents were notified of Schlegel's removal, she was initially concerned because he was a favorite among the children.
A few weeks later, she found out about the abuse through a message on her daughter's iPad and immediately went to the principal and then the police.
She broke down in tears when she told the jury, "I've never felt more sick in my entire life."
9-year-old classmate takes the stand
The court also heard from a 9-year-old student, who described how girls would often be behind Schlegel's desk with him while getting help with math.
She said other students could not see what was happening "from the waist down" behind the desk. Detectives say that's when most of the abuse took place.
There are about a dozen more witnesses who have not yet testified. The trial is expected to last several weeks.
Jury selection
Earlier in the week, a panel of 120 prospective jurors reported to the Anne Arundel County courtroom for questioning. The jury was eventually dwindled to 12 jurors and alternates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lifetime's new true-crime title Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story debuts tonight
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. 'When I was reading it, I'm like, 'This cannot be real. Like, this is not real, right?'" actress Jana Kramer told ABC News about the script for Lifetime's latest true crime thriller, Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story, which premieres on the cable network tonight, June 7 at 8pm Eastern Time. And it is, shockingly, a very true story, about a Kansas City's teen whose whole world comes crashing down when she learns that her uncle is actually a serial killer responsible for the murders of multiple women in the area, including her biological mother. Per the movie's official synopsis: "Heather Robinson (Rachel Stubington) grew up in a loving family in Illinois and, by the time she was a teen, had long known that she had been adopted as an infant by her parents. But in 2000, the then-15-year-old's world was shattered when she learned that the man she knew as her uncle, John Robinson (Steve Guttenberg), was actually a serial killer accused of murdering multiple women in the Kansas City area, including her biological mother. After her uncle's arrest, Heather learns the shocking truth about her birth mother's disappearance." Along with Rachel Stubington as Heather and Steve Guttenberg as Uncle John, the cast of Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story includes Jana Kramer, Ross Crain, Deja Dee, Jackie Sanders, Rose Decker, Sarah Hudson, Lily Talevski, Robyne Parrish and Molly Miller. Guttenberg, known for his roles in classic comedies like Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby, spoke to Remind magazine about going against-type to play a violent killer in the new Lifetime drama. 'It's such a great opportunity to be able to go outside your wheelhouse,' he said. 'And I think that's the classic nature of acting — people want to see you pop up through different holes. They want to see you surprise them.' 'To me, it was a story about destruction and what one man can do, [how] one man can change so many lives [through his actions],' the actor added. To tune into the premiere of Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story tonight at 8pm, you're going to need access to the Lifetime network. Those with cable packages can watch on their local Lifetime channel, but even if you don't have traditional cable, cord-cutters can also tune in online via a live TV streaming service that carries Lifetime, such as Frndly TV, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and Philo TV. And if you miss the television broadcast tonight, don't fret: Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story will also be available to stream on beginning tomorrow, Sunday, June 8. Check out the official trailer for Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story before tuning into the true crime flick tonight on Lifetime.
CBS News
35 minutes ago
- CBS News
Community bike ride honors Colorado boy killed by distracted driving, calls for change
Nearly two years after a young Colorado boy was killed by a distracted driver, his community is uniting for "Ollie's Ride for Change." Oliver Stratton was 10 years old when he was hit and killed while riding his bike in Timnath. The "ride for change" is a movement that aims to make roads safer for bicyclists and pedestrians and honor the lives lost to distracted driving. CBS "I think it's just incredibly joyful to watch a community come together," said Oliver's mother, Clarissa Stratton. "It is now like one of the most dangerous times in Colorado to be a human being existing outside of a vehicle." The event was organized by Oliver's parents, Clarissa and Rod Stratton. Participants dressed up or decorated their bikes to resemble their favorite Pokémon and took two laps around the lagoon on the CSU campus to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving. "We have to do better about protecting each other's lives, and that means being better drivers. Putting down the cell phone. It is against the law," said Clarissa Stratton. CBS Colorado Oliver was killed while riding his bike when a fifty-year-old woman who was texting and driving hit him in August of 2023. His parents say it radically altered their lives. "We feel the weight of that every day, and we're out here advocating because we want to make sure that doesn't happen to other families," said Clarissa Stratton. In addition to the ride, the event had resources for cyclists and a pledge for adults and kids to sign, asking them not to drive distracted and to speak up if they see someone doing it. Clarissa said it's time for Colorado drivers to realize the responsibility that's in their hands every time they get behind the wheel. CBS "Please drive like lives are depending on it because they are, and my family knows better than most the cost of distracted driving," she said.
CBS News
35 minutes ago
- CBS News
Video shows moments man opens fire at Lauderhill apartment complex, sending 2 teens to hospital
A new video shows the moments a man opened fire at a Lauderhill apartment complex, sending two teenage boys to the hospital earlier this week. Kurt Cranston Broward Sheriff's Office On Saturday, the Lauderhill Police Department announced that they had arrested and charged 33-year-old Kurt Cranston for Wednesday afternoon's shooting, where 16-year-old Shiraj Reid and his 17-year-old friend were injured. Both Reid and his friend were treated at Broward Health Medical Center and are expected to survive. Cranston is currently in custody at the Broward County Main Jail, where he faces two attempted murder charges — one for each teen. A dangerous start to summer break Around 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, Lauderhill Police responded to the Casavita II apartments on 2041 NW 43rd Terr., regarding a ShotSpotter notification of 12 gunshots in the area. When officers arrived, they found the first victim located in the roadway of Northwest 43rd Terrace and the second found in the back parking lot, both later identified as Reid and his friend. Investigators obtained surveillance video that showed Cranston walking on the north side of the apartment complex's leasing office with a firearm tucked under his armpit before turning the corner, pointing his weapon toward a "group of males" sitting in the courtyard south of the leasing office, and opening fire. According to Lauderhill Police, Cranston said his motive stemmed from a prior incident involving the victims on June 1, where he claimed to have "feared for his life." Police did not provide further details on the incident but are currently investigating his claims. Cranston was arrested and booked into the BSO Main Jail on Friday.
