Arrest the victim's parents, too.
Free Republic members posted a lot on this story..
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Teacher in car with student is charged
Melissa D. Koehn, also a coach at a private West St. Paul school, is accused of criminal sexual conduct with a girl, 17.
By LORA PABST, Star Tribune
Last update: December 23, 2008 - 11:34 PM
A 30-year-old teacher and basketball coach for a private Lutheran school in West St. Paul has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student.
Melissa Diana Koehn of Kenosha, Wis., was charged Tuesday by the Dakota County attorney's office with three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The relationship came to a light after a chance encounter with an Apple Valley police officer over the weekend, the charges said. The officer was checking on a suspicious car parked near a soccer field on Saturday and noticed two people in the car, one lying on top of the other. When he got to the car, the officer noticed two females kissing in a reclined seat, according to the charges.
After identifying the two females as Koehn and a 17-year-old girl, the officer told them to leave the area. He had noticed that the girl was wearing a letter jacket for St. Croix Lutheran High School and later decided to check a staff directory for the school, where he saw that Koehn was listed as a teacher and a coach, the charges said.
Authorities notified the girl's parents and then interviewed Koehn and the girl, who is a student at St. Croix Lutheran High School. They both told investigators that Koehn had begun a mentoring relationship with the student during the previous school year when she was a history teacher and coach for the girl. Koehn took a leave of absence in the spring of 2008, but the two continued to see each other during the summer, according to the charges.
The girls' parents allowed Koehn to stay overnight in the girl's bedroom, but they did not know about the sexual relationship and they believed that Koehn was sleeping on the floor. In August, the sexual relationship began between Koehn and the girl. Koehn told police that the sexual contact occurred a "handful" of times, according to the charges.
Under Minnesota law, juveniles 16 years old or older can consent to a sexual relationship, but it is against the law for a teacher or coach to have sexual contact with a 16- or 17-year-old student that they have a position of authority over.
Koehn was released on $10,000 bail Tuesday and will make her next court appearance on Feb. 9.
Lora Pabst • 612-673-4628
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Twin Cities.com
West St. Paul teacher charged with sexually touching teen
By Frederick Melo and Maricella Miranda
fmelo@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 12/23/2008 04:58:45 PM CST
Melissa Diana Koehn, of Kenosha, Wis., was charged by the Dakota County Attorney's office on Tuesday with three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. (Dakota County Sheriff) A 30-year-old teacher faces charges after Apple Valley police discovered her alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student from a private high school in West St. Paul.
Melissa Diana Koehn, of Kenosha, Wis., was charged by the Dakota County Attorney's office on Tuesday with three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. She was booked into the county jail in Hastings on Sunday and released on $10,000 bail on Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities believe the sexual relationship may have begun in August, shortly after Koehn took a leave of absence from St. Croix Lutheran High School, where she had taught social studies and coached girls' basketball for several years.
Koehn taught and coached the student in the 2007-2008 school year, according to charges. She began a mentoring relationship with her, and continued seeing the girl after beginning her leave of absence in June.
At times, the girl's parents sometimes allowed Koehn to sleep over because she did not have a residence in the Twin Cities, the complaint against Koehn states. The girl's parents later told authorities they believed she had slept on their daughter's floor when she stayed over, and they were unaware of any sexual activity.
The complaint states that on Saturday, an Apple Valley police officer dispatched to investigate a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot overlooking a soccer field discovered Koehn and the girl inside the car, kissing. The girl was wearing her school letterman jacket.
The officer notified the girl's parents and turned the investigation over to a detective.
Interviewed by police, Koehn acknowledged taking part in a "handful" of sexual encounters with the girl in the girl's bedroom, the complaint states.
She also acknowledged that she still "exercised some authority" over the girl, according to charges. When interviewed by police, the girl referred to her as "Ms. Koehn."
Under Minnesota law, a person as young as 16 is old enough to consent to a sexual relationship. The law, however, prohibits a teacher, coach or person in position of authority over a young person to have sexual contact with someone age 16 or 17.
"Koehn frequently accompanied Victim on various activities, such as movies and shopping," the complaint states.
Koehn made her initial court appearance Tuesday morning before Judge Mary Theisen, who set bail at $50,000 or $10,000, with conditions.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 9 in Hastings.
Administrators at St. Croix Lutheran said they were surprised by the charges.
Koehn was on unpaid leave this school year for professional development, said Gene Pfeifer, president of St. Croix Lutheran. He said the school had no indication Koehn was having a sexual relationship with a student.
"We are disappointed," Pfeifer said. "We don't condone any type of activity like this on the part of any employee or past employee of the school. We are cooperating with the authorities in their investigation."
Koehn taught social studies for tenth-and-eleventh grade students for seven years at the high school, Pfeifer said. She also coached the junior varsity girls' basketball team before her leave of absence.
Koehn had no previous complaints against her as a teacher, Pfeifer said.
The victim still attends school at St. Croix Lutheran High School, Pfeifer said.
Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172.
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GJ - Miss Koehn's bio and picture are no longer listed at the St. Croix Lutheran High website.
Here is a PDF newsletter.
The WELS church worker jailbird list continues to grow, thanks to the influence of UOJ. Meanwhile here is a typical WELSian Christmas greeting, probably from Joe the Bass Player, but there are other likely candidates:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another WELS Church Worker Charged":
What a sad, sad story. All the more for us to be thankful for the birth of our Savior. Please pray for all involved.
And I will continue to pray for you too, Mr. Jackson. You have some unresolved issues. I am embarrassed for you and the destructive behavior you exhibit on this blog to the body of Christ.
Merry Christmas.
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GJ - Thanks for confirming that Ichabod is reaching the unwashed and unrepentant. I can tell when someone is really, really angry: "Mr. Jackson." Now there is an unresolved issue. Facebook denizens are unfriending people, but Lutherans have been dis-ordaining and un-calling for years. Here is an appropriate video for the couple:
The serious version:
