Pennridge School District Counselor Accused of Having Sexual Contact with Student

By NewsyCommunities On Nov 10, 2023

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A guidance counselor with Pennridge South Middle School has
been charged with multiple felony counts of having sexual contact with a
student.

Court records show Kelly Schutte, 35, of Pennsburg, was
arraigned Friday morning on three felony counts of intercourse/sexual contact
with a student, as well as a felony corruption of minors charge and three
misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old. She’s
currently free on $25,000 unsecured bail, along with the stipulation that she
has no contact with the victim or their family, and she must stay away from all
Pennridge School District facilities.

According to the criminal complaint, Upper Perkiomen Police
were contacted on July 18 by the mother of juvenile male student who alleged her
son was involved in a romantic and sexual relationship with Schutte. The mother
told police she received a panicked call from her son on the evening of July 17
asking to be picked up in the area of Schutte’s home in Pennsburg. Upon picking
him up, the boy told his parents he was observed kissing Schutte inside her
home by one of Schutte’s family members, who angrily told him to get out,
police said.

The family member later signed a written statement detailing
their observations, according to charging documents.

A forensic investigation by staff at the Montgomery County
Child Advocacy Center revealed the boy began communicating regularly with
Schutte in the fall of 2022 following a class trip, the report states. The relationship
turned sexual in June and July of 2023, with sexual contact occurring at
locations in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, police said.

Investigators said they uncovered numerous digital
communications between the boy and Schutte via the school’s Canvas system as
well as Snapchat, and they also found hand-written notes from the boy in
Schutte’s office. Surveillance footage from once incident in Pennsburg also
provided corroborating evidence for the boy’s account of one encounter with
Schutte that occurred in July, and one of her earrings was found in the boy’s home
following an encounter in June, police said.

When reached for comment, a district spokesperson said they
will be issuing a statement to the media sometime Friday afternoon.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney
Caroline Goldstein, and Schutte is being represented by William Buchanan, Esq.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 20 at 10:30 a.m. in front of Magisterial District Judge Maureen Coggins.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven
guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.