LOS GATOS, Calif. -- A 28-year-old teacher from Los Gatos who is accused of sexually abusing one of her students declined to enter a plea during a hearing Wednesday.
Colette Phelps committed "lewd and lascivious acts" with one of her underage teenage students, San Jose police officer Jose Garcia said.
For the past five years, Phelps taught in San Jose for Stratford School, a private organization with 13 preschool, elementary and middle-school schools. Officials did not disclose which of these schools the suspected sexual abuse happened at.
Police did not release the alleged victim's identity except that the victim is aged 14 or 15. It is unknown if the victim was a boy or girl.
Phelps' Facebook page says she is a specialty course teacher, graduated from Los Gatos High School in 2000, studied music at Chapman University and lists her favorite "sports" as shopping and fist pumping.
"Ms. Phelps has had significant personal and medical conditions in her life," her defense attorney, Steven Clark, told the San Jose Mercury News.
San Jose police said they were first alerted to Phelps' sexually abusing one of her students on June 1. She was arrested that same day on child sexual abuse charges and booked into Santa Clara County Jail.
"As soon as we learned of the situation, we put Ms. Phelps on indefinite leave and subsequently terminated her employment," Stratford School Founder Sherry Adams said.
The San Jose Police Department is asking any victims or others with information to contact Detective D. Ichige or Sgt. R. Schriefer at 408-277-4102. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers tip line at 408 947-STOP.
Read more: http://www.ksbw.com/news/28248443/detail.html#ixzz1POqyKDAi
Colette Phelps committed "lewd and lascivious acts" with one of her underage teenage students, San Jose police officer Jose Garcia said.
For the past five years, Phelps taught in San Jose for Stratford School, a private organization with 13 preschool, elementary and middle-school schools. Officials did not disclose which of these schools the suspected sexual abuse happened at.
Police did not release the alleged victim's identity except that the victim is aged 14 or 15. It is unknown if the victim was a boy or girl.
Phelps' Facebook page says she is a specialty course teacher, graduated from Los Gatos High School in 2000, studied music at Chapman University and lists her favorite "sports" as shopping and fist pumping.
"Ms. Phelps has had significant personal and medical conditions in her life," her defense attorney, Steven Clark, told the San Jose Mercury News.
San Jose police said they were first alerted to Phelps' sexually abusing one of her students on June 1. She was arrested that same day on child sexual abuse charges and booked into Santa Clara County Jail.
"As soon as we learned of the situation, we put Ms. Phelps on indefinite leave and subsequently terminated her employment," Stratford School Founder Sherry Adams said.
The San Jose Police Department is asking any victims or others with information to contact Detective D. Ichige or Sgt. R. Schriefer at 408-277-4102. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers tip line at 408 947-STOP.
Read more: http://www.ksbw.com/news/28248443/detail.html#ixzz1POqyKDAi
