A Wisconsin school headmistress has been arrested following allegations of sexual misconduct with a student. Kaitlyn Hintz, 32, is accused of having "inappropriate contact" with a pupil at Bonduel Middle/High School, where students are aged from 11 to 18.
The police investigation was launched after an anonymous tip was sent to the state's Speak Up, Speak Out reporting system last week. A letter to parents from the district described the situation as "serious".
Arrest and Administrative Leave
The school contacted police after becoming aware of the tip, leading to Hintz being detained on Monday and booked on multiple charges. The school principal has been placed on administrative leave pending the police probe.
Investigators have discovered that the alleged communication between the educator and the pupil did not take place on district property, and that district digital platforms did not facilitate the correspondence either. It is currently unclear how long Hintz had been working at the school.
District Response
The school district said: "We recognize that this news is deeply concerning for students, families, staff, and community. The safety and wellbeing of our students remains our highest priority."
"The district remains in contact with law enforcement and will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation," the statement added. Hintz is due to appear in court later this week as the investigation continues.
Related Case in Kentucky
The arrest comes as a married teacher was taken into custody on grooming charges after allegedly holding secret meetings and late-night video calls with a 14-year-old pupil. Sadie Flores, 25, was arrested at Graves County Middle School in Kentucky, US, following allegations of an "improper relationship" with the youngster.
Flores was taken into custody last Friday and faces a felony charge of grooming a minor. She is accused of attempting to "manipulate" the teenager by confessing "feelings of love and admiration", according to legal documents. Flores has become the first individual charged under Kentucky's newly enacted anti-grooming legislation, passed on July 15, which gives police powers to intervene before a sexual assault takes place.
Sheriff's deputies launched a probe after school officials alerted them, having been contacted directly by the boy's parents. The teen's family reportedly uncovered a string of messages between the teacher and pupil across several social media applications. Official court papers state: "The messages that were reviewed by investigators were determined…not to be of a legitimate purpose and were not school-related." Alarmed parents also allegedly uncovered late-night FaceTime calls between the pair.
