Charges dropped against Clarksburg High teacher

Group home counselors arrested at the same time still face sex abuse charges involving the same minor

The State Attorney’s Office decided on March 9 that there was insufficient evidence for continuing the case against Morrow-Hargrove, Assistant State’s Attorney Sherri Koch said.

All of the charges against her have been dropped and the case is considered closed, Koch added.

Morrow-Hargrove had been accused of having a sexual encounter with the boy in December in her apartment and of taking a shower with him that same day.

The boy lived in a group home run by M.S. Youth Services Group Home in Germantown. The organization runs three group homes in the county, two in Germantown and one in Montgomery Village. No one from the group homes has commented on the case.

Police also charged two group home counselors from the boy’s home with having sex with the same teen. Both counselors are charged with one count of sexual abuse of a minor.

Koreen Allen Avery, 38, of the 193800 block of Hottinger Circle in Germantown, was in Circuit Court for a pretrial hearing Friday. She appeared calm as she sat in court wearing a dark suit and black-rimmed glasses.

Attorney Thomas D. Murphy spoke on Avery’s behalf in front of District Court Judge Marielsa Bernard.

Murphy said his client has received positive reports from the government’s Pre-Trail Supervision Unit. Avery originally had to visit the government organization twice a week, but her visits were reduced to once a week because she is complying with regulations.

‘‘She lost her job as a result of this case,” Murphy said in Circuit Court. ‘‘She is unemployed and looking, but it is difficult for her to get a job with this trail pending.”

Avery’s trail was set for Sept. 25 in Circuit Court.

The trial of Robin Denise Lawrence, 24, of the 4500 block of Dallas Place in Temple Hills, the other counselor charged, is scheduled to start July 3.