Teacher charged with sexual abuse of a minor

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Teacher charged with sexual abuse of a minor

by Contessa Crisostomo | Staff Writer

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Montgomery County Police on Thursday charged a public school teacher with sexual abuse of a minor, saying she had a relationship that led to inappropriate touching of a 16-year-old student.

Lindsey H. Froehlich, 26, of the 13100 block of Shadyside Lane in Germantown, was also charged with fourth-degree sexual offense.

Froehlich is a teacher at the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA), located at 15000 Broschart Road in Rockville, where the teenager is a resident student, police reported.

RICA is a public special education school that serves students with emotional disabilities in a day and residential program.

According to police, the incidents happened during school hours and on school property.

Police and Child Protective Services officials began investigating Froehlich after RICA officials reported abuse that allegedly occurred on Monday, county police reported.

Police said Froehlich has been a teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools since August 2005 and has been placed on administrative leave.

No one was available for comment at Montgomery County Public Schools headquarters Thursday night.

Froehlich was being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond on Thursday.

The police department is asking anyone who has information regarding similar allegations against Froehlich to call Detective Wiltshire at 240-773-5400.